Watan-Despite the UAE’s participation in meetings and issuing statements calling for pressure on Israel to stop the war on Gaza, it has become an air support hub for the occupation state, especially as many countries around the world have suspended their air links with Tel Aviv.
According to statistics, the UAE has become an air support station for Israel for both passenger and cargo flights, as revealed by an investigation published by the UK-based initiative “Tafnid for Fact-Checking and Data Journalism.”
An analysis of passenger flight activity between the UAE and Israel shows continued activity during the war at almost the same pace. In 2022, there were approximately 5,551 passenger flights between the two countries: 2,689 flights departed from the UAE, and 2,862 flights departed from Israel. In 2023, there were about 4,892 flights: 2,456 departing from the UAE and 2,436 from Israel.
Unlike other Arab countries, activity persisted in 2024 despite the war. By the end of November, there had been 4,793 flights between the two countries, with 2,293 departing from the UAE and 2,500 from Israel, all originating from Ben Gurion Airport.
Interestingly, the stability in the rate of passenger flights was not the most notable aspect of the air activity analysis. Despite the war, Israeli airlines reduced their flights to the UAE, while UAE airlines increased theirs.
The analysis of flights between the two countries revealed that five airlines dominate this route: three Israeli airlines—Arkia Israeli Airlines, El Al Israel Airlines, and Israir Airlines—and two Emirati airlines: flydubai and Etihad Airways. Notably, flydubai holds the largest share of flights, particularly after the war began.
A Cargo Air Supply Line Immediately After the War Outbreak
Flight records show that the UAE and Israel activated a cargo air supply line immediately after the outbreak of the Israeli war on Gaza. The investigation identified 10 regular flights dedicated to cargo transport between the two countries.
The first of these flights occurred in November 2023, immediately after the war began. Sixteen cargo flights took place between Tel Aviv and Dubai in November and December 2023. By the end of November 2024, there had been approximately 233 cargo flights, with 149 flights from Dubai to Tel Aviv and only 84 return flights from Tel Aviv to Dubai.
The UAE Becomes a Cargo Hub for Israel
Flight records reveal that the UAE not only established an air supply line for Israel but also secured a significant share of the global air cargo market involving Israel, a role that grew substantially after the war.
The investigation tracked the operations of “Challenge Group,” an Israeli-owned international air cargo company founded in 1976 and based at Ben Gurion Airport. The company has additional hubs in Belgium (Challenge Airlines BE) and Malta (Challenge Airlines MT).
Statistics showed that direct flights between Hong Kong and Israel totaled approximately 290 flights in 2023. However, during the war in 2024, these direct flights declined to 170. The company activated its Malta branch to establish alternative routes, using the UAE as an intermediate station.
For example, direct flights operated by the Israeli Challenge Airlines IL from Hong Kong to Israel utilized Boeing 747-412F aircraft. Meanwhile, Challenge Airlines MT employed smaller Boeing 767-333ERSF aircraft, with a stopover in Dubai. The flight route between Hong Kong and Israel via Dubai took approximately 12 hours and 13 minutes and was used 79 times between January 1, 2024, and November 30, 2024.
This transformation has positioned the UAE as a strategic air support hub for Israel amid the escalation of the Israeli war on Gaza and Lebanon.
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