Israeli civilian plans. (Credit: AFP/Illustration)
Israeli football fans will be able to fly directly to Doha for World Cup matches after Qatar approved the flights despite severed diplomatic ties, the Cypriot carrier operating the route told AFP Friday.
FIFA said last week that Qatar had agreed to special direct flights but could not provide details, with Larnaca-based Tus Airways offering flights with a stopover in Cyprus.
A Tus Airways official told AFP the airline had received approval from the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority on Friday to operate six direct flights between Tel Aviv and Doha and six direct return flights.
The first flight would leave Ben Gurion airport on Sunday morning, the official said, adding that the direct flights would not continue after the World Cup ends.
Diplomatic sources said more than 10,000 Palestinian and Israeli fans have secured tickets for the 29-day tournament.
Qatar established trade relations with Israel in 1996, the first Gulf state to do so.
But in 2000, Israel's trade office in Qatar was closed down by authorities and relations between the two countries were permanently severed in 2009 over an Israeli military operation in Gaza.
Doha supports Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist group that controls the Gaza Strip and has fought four wars with Israel since 2008.
An Israeli diplomatic delegation has arrived in Doha to provide consular services during the World Cup.
FIFA said last week that Qatar had agreed to special direct flights but could not provide details, with Larnaca-based Tus Airways offering flights with...