First Direct Israel-UAE Commercial Flight Lands in Abu Dhabi

Israeli National Security Adviser Meir Ben-Shabbat, left, U.S. President Donald Trump's senior adviser Jared Kushner, center, and U.S. National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien, right, board the Israeli flag carrier El Al's airliner as they fly to Abu Dhabi for talks meant to put final touches on the normalization deal between the United Arab Emirates and Israel, at Ben-Gurion International Airport, near Tel Aviv, Israel, on Aug. 31, 2020. Nir Elias/Pool Photo via AP

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates—A Star of David-adorned El Al plane flew from Israel to the United Arab Emirates on Aug. 31, carrying a high-ranking U.S. and Israeli delegation to Abu Dhabi in the first-ever direct commercial passenger flight between the two countries.

The Israeli flag carrier’s flight marked the implementation of the historic U.S.-brokered deal to normalize relations between the two nations and solidifies the long-clandestine ties between them that have evolved over years of shared enmity toward Iran.