US Lifts Ban on Flights to Israel
The US aviation authority lifted its short term ban on flights to Israel, but said that it is a "very fluid situation" in the region as intense fighting continues.
After a 36 hour ban on flights to Israel from the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration allowed flights again on Wednesday.
"The FAA has lifted its restrictions on US airline flights into and out of Israel's Ben Gurion Airport by canceling a Notice to Airmen it renewed earlier today (Wednesday)," the regulator was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency.
Air Berlin, Air France and Lufthansa have canceled their flights to Tel Aviv for security concerns as fighting continues in Gaza, but British Airways will continue with flights.
On Tuesday, former mayor of New York Michael Bloomberg had flown to Israel, according to him to "show solidarity with the Israeli people and to demonstrate that it is safe to fly in and out of Israel".
This came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lobbied the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry against the ban, saying it was imposing economic sanctions and it was doing what Hamas wanted.