EgyptAir to openly fly to Israel

For decades, Air Sinai has operated with only one route: between Cairo to Tel Aviv. It is a subsidiary of EgyptAir that was created for that one purpose.

Fearful of criticism from its fellow Arab countries, Egypt didn't want to see its flagship airline visible at Ben Gurion Airport. AirSinai was created in 1982 specifically to avoid having EgyptAir fly to Israel. Their planes have no markings at all - no logo, no flag. 

It was a clear message that Egypt is embarrassed at having any relations with Israel at all. 

But now that Israel's airport is receiving flights from the UAE, Bahrain and soon Morocco, EgyptAir has changed its tune. 

EgyptAir is set to meet with Israeli officials next week to discuss having direct flights under the EgyptAir name, and to triple the number of daily round trips from one a day to three. It will also now offer connecting flights for Israelis  to destinations worldwide from Cairo, which could not be booked through AirSinai.

This is another small but significant way that the agreements between Israel and four Arab countries last year are having very real and major effects in the rest of the Arab world. 

Israel's cold peace with Egypt and Jordan never had those effects. They were looked upon in the Arab world as arm twisting by the US at best, treasonous at worst. 

But this new wave of agreements has broken the Arab consensus at officially hating and marginalizing Israel. 

The peace dividend can only come when both sides truly want peace. Egypt may be finally getting that message, only forty years too late. 

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