Thu, Sep 07, 2006
International Rebuilding Efforts To Begin Soon
Lebanon's only airport
is to reopen Thursday when the Israeli military lifts the air and
sea blockade they imposed when continuing hostilities with
Hezbollah erupted into open warfare. The UN-brokered deal marks a
major victory for UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.
All the runways at Rafik Hariri I'ntl Airport were damaged early
in the conflict by Israeli air attacks. Repairs were complete
within three days of the cease fire and officials say they are
ready to accept commercial aircraft.
A tacit agreement with Israel has allowed national carrier
Middle East Airlines and Royal Jordanian to fly in and out of
Lebanon during the blockade, but only through Amman, Jordan. Jordan
maintains a peace treaty with Israel.
EgyptAir is to resume flights Friday, with Gulf Air to follow
suit on Saturday. As Aero-News reported this
week, a Qatar Airways flight also landed at the
airport Monday -- marking the unofficial resumption of passenger
service from the Beirut airport.
The Israeli government agreed to lift the blockade only after
assurances from US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice that airports
and seaports would be monitored by international forces. Israeli
officials expressed concern that Hezbollah might rearm during the
current cease fire, especially via the Syrian border.
Israeli spokeswoman Miri Eisin told the Associated Press, "We
have said from the beginning of the blockade ... that as soon as
international troops would arrive Israel would hand over the
implementation of the (arms) embargo to the international
troops."
With nearly 3200 UN troops there -- and 5000 expected by next
week -- Israeli troops continue a slow withdrawal from war-torn
southern Lebanon.
The Lebanese government estimates the costs for damages
resulting from Israeli air strikes at $3.6 billion.
More News
Aero Linx: International Flying Farmers IFF is a not-for-profit organization started in 1944 by farmers who were also private pilots. We have members all across the United States a>[...]
From 2017 (YouTube Version): Remembrances Of An Israeli Air Force Test Pilot Early in 2016, ANN contributor Maxine Scheer traveled to Israel, where she had the opportunity to sit d>[...]
"We renegotiated what our debt restructuring is on a lot of our debts, mostly with the family. Those debts are going to be converted into equity..." Source: Excerpts from a short v>[...]
Also: B-29 Superfortress Reunion, FAA Wants Controllers, Spirit Airlines Pulls Back, Gogo Galileo Van's Aircraft posted a short video recapping the goings-on around their reorganiz>[...]
Chart Supplement US A flight information publication designed for use with appropriate IFR or VFR charts which contains data on all airports, seaplane bases, and heliports open to >[...]
ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (04.15.24)
See All