Special to WorldTribune.com

CAIRO — An airlines established by the Palestinian Authority has
resumed operations after an absence of seven years.

Palestinian Airlines has begun flights in the Middle East but has not
been permitted to land in either the West Bank or the Gaza Strip.

Its first flight took place on May 9, leaving the Egyptian city of El Arish for the Jordanian capital Amman.

“At first, the smaller planes will be used, because 40 or 50 passengers
don’t warrant the use of the larger planes,” Palestinian Airlines
director-general Zeyad Albad said.

The airline’s fleet consists of two Fokker planes, a Boeing 727 and an
Airbus 320. Albad told the Israeli news agency Ynet that at first only part of the fleet would be employed.

Palestinian Airlines was established by the PA in 1995 and was based in the Gaza town of Dahaniya. In 2001, the airlines suspended operations when the Israeli military destroyed the runway at Dahaniya amid the war with the PA.

Albad said the airlines would maintain a weekly flight from El Arish in
Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula to Amman. He said the entire fleet would be used
during the Muslim pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia later in 2012. Later, the
flights would be extended to Turkey.

  but not to West Bank or Gaza, El Arish to Amman flights, future flights to Saudi Arabia and Turkey, grounded since 2005, Israel destroyed runway at Dahaniya in 2005, Palestinian Airlines, Palestinian Airlines returns after being grounded in 2005, resumes operations, two Fokker planes