Israeli airline Arkia flew Jordanian peacekeepers to hurricane-ravaged Haiti
Specially chartered flight on behalf of the UN was operated by Israeli flight crew, took off from Amman.
By Zohar Blumenkrantz and Haaretz Correspondent Tags: JordanThe Israeli airline Arkia secretly flew Jordanian soldiers to the hurricane-ravaged island of Haiti last week in a specially chartered flight for the United Nations, Haaretz has learned.
Word of the flight was kept confidential due to the political and security sensitivity of the matter. Jordanian soldiers participate in UN peacekeeping and observer missions in Haiti.
The Arkia-operated 757 Boeing passenger jet, which was piloted by an Israeli flight crew, departed from Amman and flew direct to Haiti. It returned to Israel empty of passengers.
Arkia has chartered flights on behalf of UN peacekeepers in the past after the company won a tender issued by the world body. Earlier this year, the airline flew hundreds of Polish peacekeepers from Poland to Israel. The soldiers are currently stationed in posts along Israel's borders.
Arkia confirmed its role in transporting Jordanian peacekeepers though it refused to provide further details.
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