The licensing procedures for Israel's official prime ministerial plane have been completed and the aircraft has received a 12-month fit to fly approval. The Boeing 767, called the Wing of Zion, was ordered when Benjamin Netanyahu was prime minister to serve both the president and prime minister when on overseas state visits.
Hundreds of millions of shekels have been invested in the project and in recent months the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee approved additional expenses. At present the aircraft, controversial because of its great expense, remains on the tarmac until Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Alternate Prime Minister Yair Lapid decide whether to bring it into service.
Reconfiguring and renovating the 20 year old aircraft to serve the state leadership was completed in August. Now the completion of the licensing procedure will compel Bennett to decide whether to sell the plane, ground it, or use it. The latter option could lead to major criticism of Bennett because the project is so closely associated with his predecessor.
In the past Lapid has consistently opposed use of the plane and reportedly said that he wants to sell it. Bennett has not commented on the matter or even hinted whether he intends using the plane. Bennett will have the final say even though the plane will also effect the state visits worldwide of President Isaac Herzog.
Following publication by "Globes" that the Wing of Zion is ready for service, opposition coordinator MK Yariv Levin (Likud) tabled two questions for Bennett. Firstly, does the prime minister plan using the aircraft from now onwards for official flights? And if the answer to the first question is no - what is the cost of each official flights abroad and what are the losses to the State of Israel by not using the aircraft?
Bennett's spokesperson said that the prime minister still has not formed a position on the matter.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on December 7, 2021.
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd., 2021.