For the first time since Eichmann was captured and flown from Buenos Aires to Tel Aviv on El Al, Israel’s national carrier will offer flights between the two cities.

A final agreement was signed Friday between Argentinian carrier Aerolineas Argentinas and Israel’s El Al to begin flights between the two countries, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) reported.

“We celebrate the historic event, which means that more Argentineans can travel to visit Israel and also we are happy to see the Argentinean flag in the Israeli sky soon,” Ariel Cohen Sabban, head of Argentina’s Jewish political umbrella, stated in an interview with JTA.

The agreement, the Argentinian Foreign Ministry said on its web page, “was made possible by the excellent relations that exist between aeronautical authorities, in addition to the historical bonds between both countries. It will be supplemented by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding which will enable the immediate operation of scheduled flights by the designated airlines,” JTA said.

In May 1960, notorious Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann was captured by the Mossad and taken on an El Al plane to Israel to stand trial. It was the only time that Israel implemented the death penalty.

Relations between Argentina and the Jewish state have been rocky over the decades. As explained by the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs (JCPA), “the two deadliest terror attacks in Argentinian history were targeted directly against the Israeli/Jewish communities. The first attack was a March 1992 suicide bombing of the Israeli Embassy building in Buenos Aires. Two years later, in July 1994, another suicide bomb attack hit Buenos Aires’ Jewish community headquarters.”

“The previous presidential administration of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner (2007-2015) supported relations with Iran including direct talks and negotiations with terrorists who masterminded the two most lethal acts of terrorism in the history of Argentina,” JCPA adds. “These conspicuous negotiations ultimately led to the signing of the 2013 Memorandum of Understanding between Argentina and the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

Netanyahu to Meet President Macri in Buenos Aires

With the electoral victory of Argentinian President Mauricio Macri in 2015, relations with Israel and the Jewish community have been improving.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to visit Mexico and Argentina next month before continuing on to New York to address the United Nations General Assembly.

The visit to Argentina would be the first by a sitting Israeli prime minister to that country, and, if confirmed, the Israeli leader may get there via the first flight from Tel Aviv to Buenos Aires on an Israeli or Argentinian national airline, as per the agreement.

By: World Israel News Staff

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