A report criticizes the Chief of Staff and Commander of the Israeli Air Force for allowing US refueling aircraft to operate from Ben Gurion Airport, causing a major traffic jam and disrupting civil aviation, despite Israel not being in a state of emergency. The criticism says the aircraft should be hosted at air force bases instead.
A report published Tuesday evening criticizes Chief of Staff and Israel Air Force Commander for allowing US refueling aircraft to operate from Ben Gurion Airport, causing a major traffic jam and disrupting civil aviation despite Israel not being in a state of emergency. The criticism alleges that the aircraft should be hosted at air force bases rather than the civilian airport. The report adds a new layer of scrutiny to the military leadership, which had previously been absent from the public debate over the US tanker presence.
The debate over the US tankers has been unfolding for weeks. Earlier Tuesday, in a series of reports published at 13:36 Jerusalem time, The Zioneer documented Transportation Minister Miri Regev's opposition to the deployment. Regev warned that the US aircraft "cannot turn Ben Gurion into a military base" and instructed that no civilian flights or tickets be canceled. She reportedly expanded an initial ban on additional refueling tankers to include all US military aircraft. The thread began with the Transport Ministry accusing the Defense Ministry of a failure in handling the fuel-truck shortage, which threatened summer flight schedules.
The Zioneer has also reported on the broader context. On June 10, Regev criticized President Trump, saying the US is "not striking Iran but taking our parking at Ben Gurion." On June 14, The Zioneer reported, citing single-sourced and unverified reports, that US refueling aircraft were positioned at key points ahead of a potential strike on Iran. Later Tuesday, The Zioneer reported that the US keeps 33 refueling tankers at Ben Gurion, with aviation officials warning of 50,000 summer ticket cancellations.
No official response from the Chief of Staff or the Air Force Commander has been reported. The report's specific sources and allegations remain unverified, and it is unclear whether the military leadership will address the criticism.
7 developments
- DevelopingUS refueler departs Ben Gurion Airport as fuel crisis persists
- DevelopingSolution found for aircraft parking shortage at Ben Gurion Airport
- DevelopingOver a third of US aircraft have departed Ben Gurion Airport
- DevelopingUS keeps 33 refueling tankers at Ben Gurion; aviation officials warn of 50,000 summer ticket cancellations
Source and signal
- Internal intake