Etihad Airways, the state-owned airline for the United Arab Emirates, says it's flying aid for the Palestinians amid the coronavirus pandemic into Israel. It's the first known direct commercial flight between the nations.
A Muslim woman wears gloves prays in east Jerusalem's Mount of Olives, overlooking the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa mosque compound, which remains shut to prevent the spread of coronavirus during the holy month of Ramadan, Friday, May 1, 2020.
However, it marks an open moment of cooperation between the countries after years of rumored back-channel discussions between the nations over the mutual enmity of Iran. The Israel Airports Authority confirmed the cargo flight would be landing at Ben Gurion Airport on Tuesday evening. The Islamic endowment overseeing the site under Jordanian custodianship had taken the unprecedented step of closing it to worshippers in March as other major holy sites were shuttered across the Middle East.
The site has long been a flashpoint in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and perceived encroachments by Israeli authorities and hard-line Jewish groups have ignited clashes on a number of occasions. Israel says it has no intention of changing the status quo at the site.
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