FAA rescinds security ban on U.S. airline flights to Israel
The Federal Aviation Administration has officially canceled its temporary halt on U.S.-based airlines traveling to Israel's Ben Gurion International Airport, located in Tel Aviv. The ban had been instituted Tuesday after a Hamas rocket attack landed a mile away from the airport.
The FAA explained its decision in a press release Wednesday night:
The ban was handed down after several airlines had already begun suspending service to Ben Gurion, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian-run Gaza Strip. However, the agency's actions also triggered a political backlash.
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Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg, a political independent, traveled to Israel on the country's own airline, El Al, in order to publicly express his disagreement — though he vociferously opposed any accusations that the ban had been based on political decisions. Meanwhile, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) went so far as to accuse the Obama administration of launching an "economic boycott" against Israel.
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