Economic Cabinet to Discuss Moving Eilat Airport to Timna

February 23, 2004

Economic Cabinet to Discuss Moving Eilat Airport to
Timna 
Globes Online, Israel 

The social and economic cabinet will convene tomorrow
to approve Minister of Transport Avigdor Lieberman’s
proposal to move the Eilat international airport to
Ramat Timna, 20 kilometers north of Eilat. 
In 1989, the government decided to move the airport to
Ein Evrona, but the plan was not carried out. At
Lieberman’s suggestion, the cabinet is expected to
cancel the Ein Evrona plan tomorrow, and approve the
Timna plan. 

The Israel Airports Authority has already begun
planning the new airport in Timna, but requires
official cabinet approval. Lieberman explained his
proposal by saying that the airport was currently in
the center of Eilat, and was inadequate to handle
international tourism reaching the town. 

Lieberman stated that international tourism was the
main user of aviation services at the military airport
at Ovda, 60 kilometers from Eilat. The new airport
will also service domestic flights. According to
Lieberman, the new airport will make it possible to
reduce the safety restrictions enforced at the current
airport, and will eliminate the construction
restrictions near the Eilat airport, thereby making
available land in the center of Eilat. 

Lieberman added that the airport’s new location would
improve the environment in Eilat by eliminating noise
and air pollution. 

The Airports Authority estimates that building a new
airport will cost $150 million. The plan is to hire a
contractor in August 2004 to design and construct the
airport. The 2,600 meter runway will be ready for
operation in 2007. 

 

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