FIFA has organised direct flights for fans between Israel's Ben Gurion airport and Doha's Hamad International Airport despite ongoing tensions between the two nations ©Getty Images

FIFA has announced the operation of direct charter flights between Tel Aviv and Doha during this month's World Cup finals, although Qatar insists its position regarding Israel, with whom it does not have diplomatic relations, remains unchanged.

Football's world governing body said it had brokered the deal that would allow those who hold tickets for games and valid Hayya fan ID cards to board flights from Ben Gurion Airport to Doha’s Hamad International Airport during the month-long event, Reuters reports.

The Hayya ID card is a personalised identification document that is issued and required by every person attending any matches.

At least 8,000 Palestinians and 3,900 Israelis have applied for a Hayya card, a source told Reuters.

"With this deal, Israelis and Palestinians will be able to fly together and enjoy football together," FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement.

FIFA however, did not share details about how Palestinians will be able to take the flights, as Israel severely restricts access to Ben Gurion for residents of the occupied Palestinian territories.

A spokesperson for Qatar 2022 said that ever since Doha won the rights to host the event, it has stressed that all ticket holders will be able to attend the matches in the country.

The agreement on direct flights does not change Qatar’s stance on normalising relations with Israel, which is linked to Palestinian statehood that is achieved through a two-state solution in accordance with the relevant Security Council resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative, a Qatari official said.

At least 8,000 Palestinians and 3,900 Israelis have applied for a Hayya card ©Getty Images
At least 8,000 Palestinians and 3,900 Israelis have applied for a Hayya card ©Getty Images

"Because of this agreement, Palestinians will now be able to enjoy the first World Cup in the Arab and Muslim world," the official said.

But they added that Qatar has not witnessed any positive developments in the peace process that merit a change in its current policy, stressing that the flight arrangements depended on Israel's commitment to non-escalation in the Palestinian territories.

Israeli passport holders can usually only travel to Qatar on special visas issued for sports fixtures or conferences.

There are no existing direct flights between the two countries.

"This is great news for football fans and for all Israelis," said Israel's outgoing Prime Minister, Yair Lapid.

"After hard work over the course of many months, we have arranged for Israeli citizens to be able to fly to the World Cup in Qatar on direct flights, and the opening of an Israeli office in Qatar to provide services to fans coming for the World Cup."

Qatar's Gulf neighbours the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain established diplomatic ties with Israel under US-brokered pacts in 2020.