El Al says there is 'no chance' it will cancel flights to, from Israel

European and US airlines suspend flights to and from Israel after rocket falls 5km from Ben Gurion; El Al has historically continued flight service during times of war. Israeli airline El Al said it would not cancel any flights as air travel to Israel from all American carriers and several European ones came to a halt on Tuesday after the Federal Aviation Authority banned US airlines from traveling to and from Ben Gurion Airport for 24 hours.

In labor disputes with the government, El Al has argued that it is the only airline the country can rely on to continue flying during tough security times, and that Israel should foot more of the bill for its security needs. During the 1991 Gulf war, every airline but El Al suspended service to Israel.

The FAA's decision followed the successful firing of a Hamas rocket into a house in Yehud, near Ben Gurion Airport, earlier in the day.

"The FAA immediately notified US carriers when the agency learned of the rocket strike and informed them that the agency was finalizing a [Notice to Airmen]" prohibiting the flights, an FAA statement read.

Thanks. When I really believe in something, I can sell it. If only every "product" was as wonderful as Israel. Here's some of my pics from my trip:

City of David, Jerusalem

Machpela

Inside Machpela, where the patriarchs and matriarchs are buried. This man is kissing the plaque, commemorating the grave of Jacob. The actual graves are far beneath the multi-story building.

The Kotel (Western Wall)

The young guardians of Israel, may they be blessed. They enter the army for obligatory service right out of high school.

An archaeologist explaining how the Arabs destroyed Jewish artifacts on the Temple Mount and dumped the rubble into the town dump, and how we were going to help out by sifting some of the rubble. I myself found some 1,000 y.o. Byzantine tile and other stuff. Some kids in our group found ancient coins.

Looking down at the Bahai Gardens from hotel room in Haifa.

Kibbutz Kfar Etzion, in the Gush Etzion region. This is where King David was born, where the Maccabees revolted against the Romans--and where Arabs slaughtered innocent Jewish kibbutzniks in the 1948 massacre. Five hundred and thirty five Jewish men and women held off an armed force ten times their size. 157 were killed. 128 of them massacred after surrender. I saw photos of people with their hands hacked off to stumps, gruesome hack wounds on bodies, people hacked up beyond recognition, murdered Jewish children.

The bunker where wounded, women and children took shelter. Arabs tossed a grenade into this bunker, killing all inside.

The Lone Oak, a 700 year old tree which was the only tree remaining in the area. After the destruction and slaughter of the 4 kibbutzim comprising the Gush Etzion communities, the survivors and their children would gather every year under this oak which became known as the "Lone Oak". After the 6-Day War, the children of the original kibbutzniks returned and reestablished their destroyed community. This tree is regarded as a symbol of renewal and continuity.

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