ABU DHABI — Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates, will launch daily scheduled year-round flights to Tel Aviv, the economic and technological center of Israel.

The new service effective from March 28, 2021, will provide greater choice and convenience for point-to-point business and leisure travelers between the UAE and Israel, the airline said in a statement on Monday.

Departures will be conveniently timed to connect via Abu Dhabi to key gateways across the Etihad network including China, India, Thailand, and Australia.

Commenting on the announcement, Mohammad Al Bulooki, Chief Operating Officer of Etihad Aviation Group, said: "Following the signing of the new bilateral agreement, Etihad is delighted to announce a direct link between these important cities.

"The commencement of scheduled flights is a historic moment and as an airline, cements Etihad’s commitment to growing opportunities for trade and tourism not just between the two countries but also within the region and beyond."

The launch of flights follows the normalization of diplomatic ties between the two nations and the signing of the Abraham Accords between the UAE and Israel in Washington D.C. on 15th September. Only a month later, Etihad became the first GCC carrier to operate a commercial passenger flight to and from Tel Aviv on Oct. 19, 2020. — WAM