El-Al Threatens to End South African Route

El-Al has notified the Department of Foreign Affairs that it will halt its route to South Africa by the end of January if its security staff is not provided with diplomatic passports by then. Israel provides its own security in all airports where it operates and in all circumstances has been granted such passports or come to other arrangements suitable to Israel.

South Africa has refused to reissue the diplomatic passports following a Carte Blanche story featuring a bellyaching former employee who accused El-Al security of racial profiling at OR Tambo international. Following the airing of the episode South Africa in November last year expelled an Israeli security officer.

Haaretz: Peres may meet Zuma in Davos to save El-Al route

Haaretz reports that Shimon Peres will be meeting with Jacob Zuma to try and resolve this issue. The pressure from the Palestinian and Muslim lobby groups must be overwhelming and I am certain that if South Africa and Israel come to an amicable agreement then some other concession will have to be made to these powerful pressure groups.

With El-Al operating in hostile atmospheres such as Turkey but unable to operate here you can only imagine the effect this move will have on an already downbeat local Jewish community that probably won't be able to withstand another massive wave of emigration.

(Thanks RZ)

Comments

[RZ]

Steve, you've got to see this:
http://www.vocfm.co.za/index.php?section=news&category=vocnews&article=51047

Haaretz reports that Shimon Peres will be meeting with Jacob Zuma to try and resolve this issue. "The pressure from the Palestinian and Muslim lobby groups must be overwhelming and I am certain that if South Africa and Israel come to an amicable agreement then some other concession will have to be made to these powerful pressure groups," said MRN chairman, Iqbal Jassat.

"With El-Al operating in hostile atmospheres such as Turkey but unable to operate here, you can only imagine the effect this move will have on an already downbeat local Jewish community that probably won't be able to withstand another massive wave of emigration," he said, adding that it remains to be seen if the SA government would succumb to the pressure. VOC

[RZ]

Latest update:
http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx/?id=167176

[DJ Gama]

Any new updates on this?

[Steve]

RZ, great spot with the VOC website. Too hillarious!

[the Hebrew prophet]

Shimon Peres trying to convince umshini wami to keep
El Al in SA ,you got to be joking as our President is to busy making babies ?

[jezebel@ Israeli Uncensored News]

lol. i belive that both sides will reach agreement, as for el-al i am proud of my country to provide such a great level of security, for example they wait for every passenger even if he lates, coz every citizen of israel can get into *mazav betahon*. it makes me feel much more safe and protected

[bridal gown]

This was the first one I tried on and tried about 6 more after that.