Friday March 29th, 2024
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Etihad Wipes Israel off Map

The UAE government-owned airline has come under fire for not including Israel on their maps.

Staff Writer

Etihad Wipes Israel off Map

A Middle Easten airline has done what some countries have been attempting for years and wiped Israel off the map. Etihad Airways, which is owned by the UAE government, includes all neighbouring countries including Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon and Cyprus — but not the Jewish state or its major cities on its official travel map.

Etihad has also refused to transport any Israelis, who are banned from the UAE.  The airline previously sparked controversy after it began teaching its flight agents how to identify Israeli travelers by their “accents and traits,” according to a 2010 BBC probe.

New York-based travel expert Justin Ross Lee hit out at the airline’s airbrushing,  He said: "As a frequent flier who holds both US and Israeli passports, I would sooner donate my miles to Hezbollah than travel on Etihad Airways. I’d probably be interrogated less."

The UAE is one of the 34 countries with no diplomatic relations with Israel.