Three European nations have informed Israels national airline that El Al flights that carry heavy munitions cargo to Israel will no longer be allowed to stop for refueling at their airports.
All three nations -- Britain, Germany and Italy -- have diplomatic relations with Israel and have been heavily involved in the effort to expand the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon peacekeeping mission. Nonetheless, the same nations now refuse to allow Israels national carrier to make stopover landings for refueling when carrying heavy cargo from U.S. army bases.
Cargo planes are taking off from the U.S. with much lighter weight, and are reaching Israel with significantly fewer munitions than needed," said Itai Regev, chairman of El Als pilots union.
In a letter to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, and the Defense, Tourism and Finance Ministries, Regev complained that the new rules severely restrict arms deliveries to Israel from the U.S.
While Italy restricts the Jewish States right to receive military deliveries from an ally of both nations, "Israel's response to this is the transfer of labor to Italian pilots at the cost of Israeli pilots," wrote Regev. He added that although the European refusal to allow refueling stopovers falls within the political domain, it impacts on Israels security, striking a substantial blow to state defense.
Regev also criticized Olmerts decision to allow government employees to fly on Italys national carrier, Alitalia, rather than with El Al. Government workers have traditionally flown abroad solely with Israels national carrier, but that custom was recently ended by the Olmert administration due to budgetary reasons.
However, Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik (Kadima) overrode the government decision and ordered MKs and employees to fly only on Israeli airlines that fly to the desired destinations.
Poster Comment:
Grease up and arm the SAMs.