Israel's Minister of Transport Yisrael Katz has told Civil Aviation Authority head Joel Feldschuh that he will fire him, if he does not implement his instruction to keep airspace open in area of Bar Refaeli's wedding this evening. International supermodel Bar Refaeli is marrying Israel billionaire businessman and chairman of food importer Neto ME Holdings Ltd. (TASE;NTO) Adi Ezra at the Isrotel Ltd. (TASE: ISRO) chain's Carmel Forest spa this evening. Katz's threat comes after Feldschuh had previously allowed the organizers of the wedding to choose with the Civil Aviation Authority who would be permitted to fly over the event.
Katz told Feldschuh, "As the person responsible for civil aviation and setting policy, I expect you to fully implement my instructions on the matter. I look gravely on attempts to operate against the instructions and I policies that I have set. The skies belong to the public at large and exclusivity should not be granted for commercial reasons to relevant organizations. Justice must be done and seen to be done."
The ministry of transport said, "The minister's decision remains valid. Anybody who wants to operate flights in the area of the wedding on Thursday evening can file a request with the appropriate authorities and it will be treated according to procedure. No preferential treatment will be given and no exclusivity to this company or that to fly in the area and the skies will be open to everyone with no preference or bias.
Last week Refaeli and Ezra, together with the organizers of their wedding, asked to receive the exclusivity for the purposes of aerial photography, and to close the airspace above the event. They planned sending up helicopters with photographers and drones, which would represent a safety threat to other aircraft in the area.
The Israel Civil Aviation Authority's decision to agree to the request sparked off a wave of public criticism among other private aircraft owners and in the social media, citing discrimination and contempt for public resources under pressure from the rich and famous. On Sunday, Katz cancelled the decision and left airspace open on the grounds that the skies belong to everyone and in the interests of equality.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on September 24, 2015
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