Netanyahu Steps In as U.S. Refueling Jets Jam Ben Gurion Airport

Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport is still facing a prolonged bottleneck caused by dozens of American refueling aircraft parked on airport grounds. According to people familiar with the matter, earlier efforts to resolve the problem, including involvement by Defense Minister Israel Katz, failed to get the planes removed.

The issue has now reached the highest political level, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to deal with it personally with the Americans. The airport situation has been described as an ongoing crisis that has been felt clearly over the past month, with dozens of aircraft still standing on the field and clogging operations.

Officials believe that if the American planes are not evacuated, Israel will not be able to carry out the planned flight schedule for July. That, they warn, could lead to widespread cancellations of airline tickets.