Israel’s El Al to fly home army reservists on Jewish Sabbath

JERUSALEM, Oct 12 (Reuters) – Israel’s El Al Airlines (ELAL.TA) will on Saturday break a more than 40-year policy of not flying on the Jewish Sabbath, to bring reservists home from around the world to serve in the war against Hamas.

El Al has not flown on the Sabbath since 1982, but it received permission from rabbis who said that preservation of life overrode other religious laws.

Israel’s flag carrier said it would operate one flight from New York, two from Bangkok and one from Madrid, to collect reservists who received military call-up orders as well as other members of the security forces and medical and rescue teams.

The flights will be free of charge for soldiers and paid for by El Al and large financial institutions in the United States, the carrier said.

Israel has called up around 360,000 reservists to join its war against Palestinian militant group Hamas, which launched a large-scale attack on Saturday, crossing into Israel and rampaging through communities. Israel has responded with massive air strikes on the Gaza Strip.

Palestinian militants have also fired thousands of rockets into Israel, almost all of which its Iron Dome air defense system has intercepted.

Most international airlines have suspended flights to and from Tel Aviv, stranding Israelis who had traveled abroad for a Jewish holiday last week.

Many countries have already or are in the process of arranging repatriation flights for their citizens, while El Al and two smaller Israeli carriers – Arkia and Israir (ISRG.TA) – are repatriating Israelis.