JERUSALEM 

Israir, an Israeli airline, said on Monday it will start operating flights to Bahrain in January 2021.

The development comes amid a normalization deal signed between the two countries in September and the subsequent agreements, including in the aviation sector.

Two flights will be scheduled per week in the first stage, according to the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper.

Earlier in the day, the official Bahrain News Agency also reported about a memorandum of understanding on air services between the kingdom's Council of Ministers and Tel Aviv, without disclosing further details.

Besides Bahrain, Arab countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Sudan, Egypt, and Jordan also maintain relations with Israel, which has occupied Palestinian territories since 1967.

*Writing by Mahmoud Barakat