Israeli official: “Ben Gurion Airport becomes US military base”
QUDS, May 11 (YPA) – Head of the Israeli occupation’s Civil Aviation Authority, Shmuel Zakai, warned that “Ben Gurion” Airport has effectively become an “American military base,” saying the growing US military presence is severely disrupting airline operations and the civil aviation sector.
According to the Hebrew newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, Zakai sent a letter on Monday to Transport Minister Miri Regev and the ministry’s director general Moshe Ben Zaken, stating that the deployment of US military aircraft at the occupation’s main airport is obstructing civilian air traffic and delaying the return of foreign airlines.
In his letter, Zakai warned that the situation is driving up ticket prices ahead of the summer tourism season and argued that the occupation’s military does not fully appreciate the extent of the damage being inflicted on the civil aviation sector.
He further stated that the occupation currently lacks an international airport capable of operating efficiently under current conditions, describing Ben Gurion Airport as a military base with limited civilian activity.
Recent occupation media reports have published images showing dozens of US military aircraft, including refueling planes, stationed at the airport as part of Washington’s ongoing military support for “Tel Aviv”. Zakai said the situation threatens the financial stability of airlines inside the Israeli entity, particularly amid rising operational and fuel costs and increasing demand for flights.
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