Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government had hoped it could arrange for direct flights between the two countries, even in advance of the deal, but to date, those efforts have not borne fruit.

Israel's Regional Cooperation Minister, Esawi Freij, asked Saudi Arabia to allow Muslims to take direct flights from Israel so they can make pilgrimage to Mecca without having to take two flights.

After transporting over 2,000 Muslim pilgrims directly from Benin to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia for Hajj 2025, the national carrier RwandAir also transported pilgrims from ...