Jerusalem 5800 English

The Metropolitan Jerusalem Master Plan

Transportation

would be able to weigh opening such air

corridors if Israeli airlines were allowed

to use international airways over Arab

countries, shortening flights to the Far

East significantly.

As stated, the Horkania Airport would

be the best-known option as a location for

an alternative to Ben Gurion Airport in the

region between the Mediterranean Sea and

Jordan, should the functionality of Ben

Gurion be temporarily disrupted, or due to

the rise in transportation needs, expected

as soon as within the next few years. Thus,

Israel needs to be able to control all air

traffic, including foreign flights – and at

any rate, there must be Israeli control over

the airport in Horkania.

Lastly, politically speaking, an airport in

the Horkania valley could present a bridge

between Israel and all countries in the

Middle East. It could serve as an impetus

for improving relations between Israel and

its neighbors, and for bringing tourism

from the Arab world to Israel, where there

are Muslim holy sites.

The welcoming hall at Ben

Gurion. Summer 2014

Politically speaking, an

airport in the Horkania

valley could present a

bridge between Israel

and all countries in the

Middle East.

Thus, both sides – Israel and the

Palestinian Authority – have interests in

terms of transportation and economy

which support the construction of an

airport in the Horkania valley. The

Jerusalem 5800 planning committee

believes that such an international airport

could be built even without the Palestinian

Authority’s agreement, but it would be

better to do it in agreement with them and

with Jordan.

Transportation

a clear economic interest in the existence

of an international airport in Judea and

Samaria, which would allow transport

of goods and services and significant

development and increase in tourism,

which would be a serious source of

foreign currency. Building and operating

a common airport would have crucial

economic repercussions on the population

of Judea and Samaria. Roads and railways

would connect the airport to locations with

concentrated populations in Judea and

Samaria and with existing and future focal

points for tourism.

It should be noted that the Palestinian

Authority has already initiated the

construction of an airport in the

Horkania valley. In October 2010 the

Palestinian Authority announced that it is

ready and willing to build the “Palestine

International Airport” in the West Bank.

According to Arab plans, this airport

would stretch out over the Horkania

valley east of Jerusalem. This is in Area

C, currently under Israeli civilian and

military control, and thus, construction

of the airport would require Israeli

authorization.

The proposed collaboration would have

many advantages for Israel as well. Firstly,

it is critical that Israel ensures that an

independent, exclusively Arab airport not

be established there and that any airport

built is at least under control common with

Israel. This is because the Israeli Air Force

must have complete operational freedom

of aviation activity between the Jordan

and the sea, and to preserve security

arrangements needed to protect civilian

aviation to and from Israel.

Along with this, cooperation would

ensure that observation and control over

air traffic would be in Israeli hands and

that operation of the airport be according

to leading Israeli and international criteria

for security and safety.

An aviation agreement between the

two sides would make it possible to

open international flight routes, crossing

common skies and flying east. Israel

The welcoming hall at Ben

Gurion. Summer 2014