Which Middle Eastern Airlines Scrub Israel From Their Maps?
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
By Sam Kestenbaum March 8, 2017
Some popular Middle Eastern airlines completely erase Israel’s name off otherwise comprehensive world maps, regardless of if they fly there or not. Why is this?
For example, Qatar Airways and Saudia and Kuwait Airways all omit Israel, the Economist reported.
Still other airlines take another approach.
Egypt Air does include Israel on its map — but doesn’t indicate that the airline flies there. They do — but only through a specially-operated subsidiary.
Many of these carriers are state-owned. And many — Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar — do not recognize Israel. Some might also be “pandering to the preferences of their customers,” the Economist reported.
Many airlines do not accept passengers with Israeli passports, but none explicitly bars Jews.
Email Sam Kestenbaum at [email protected]
This is a moment of great uncertainty. Here’s what you can do about it.
We hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, we’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s independent Jewish news this Passover. All donations are being matched by the Forward Board - up to $100,000.
This is a moment of great uncertainty for the news media, for the Jewish people, and for our sacred democracy. It is a time of confusion and declining trust in public institutions. An era in which we need humans to report facts, conduct investigations that hold power to account, tell stories that matter and share honest discourse on all that divides us.
With no paywall or subscriptions, the Forward is entirely supported by readers like you. Every dollar you give this Passover is invested in the future of the Forward — and telling the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
The Forward doesn’t rely on funding from institutions like governments or your local Jewish federation. There are thousands of readers like you who give us $18 or $36 or $100 each month or year.
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
