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Palestinians reject aid from UAE again

The Palestinian Authority accuses the UAE of seeking to normalize ties with Israel after the UAE sends a medical aid flight to Israel.
A cargo plane operated by Etihad Airways, carrying medical aid for Palestinians related to the coronavirus Covid-19 disease, prepares to land at Israel's Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv on June 9, 2020. - The United Arab Emirates flew its first publicly announced flight to Israel on May 20, 2020 when Etihad Airways sent medical supplies to help the Palestinians cope with the coronavirus pandemic. Except for Jordan and Egypt, Arab countries have no official relations with Israel but Gulf Arab nations like t

RAMALLAH, West Bank — On June 9, the United Arab Emirates delivered a medical aid cargo flight to help Palestinians curb the outbreak of COVID-19. The Palestinian Authority (PA), however, rejected the aid, just as it did with a previous aid shipment from the UAE on May 19.

An airplane of the UAE’s Etihad Airways landed at Ben Gurion Airport on June 9 through coordination with Israel, the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation reported, completely sidelining the PA. Although there is no peace agreement between Israel and the UAE, such flights show that their relations have advanced. The Palestinian government refused the delivery, just like it did May 19, because the aid was not coordinated with the PA. 

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