Sources close to Arkia suggested the Israeli airline was also in talks with Aer Lingus about a codesharing agreement. Aer Lingus has had discussions with the Arkia regarding the route, according to a spokeswoman, but would not confirm any details.

Arkia received its approval for the route from the Israel transportation ministry in February after national rival El Al declined to take it up, but it was unclear whether the airline would exercise its operator's licence until its weekly Monday flight appeared on the Dublin Airport Authority's summer timetable last week.

In the past Arkia had been able to fly only summer charter flights between the two countries. As a regularly scheduled flight, the Dublin-Tel Aviv route is now available on an open ticketing basis, which means it will show up on travel agents' booking systems and internet travel sites . . . making it potentially attractive to other airlines with no presence in Israel, such as Aer Lingus.

For now Arkia has only committed to the schedule slot until October, just after the Jewish high holidays, but the airline is "exploring its options" beyond then, according to Noa Sapir, tourism manager at the Irish embassy in Tel Aviv.

There is steady . . . if limited . . . business and tourist travel between Ireland and Israel. Just under 6,000 Irish people . . .

many of them pilgrims . . . visited Israel last year, with slightly more Israelis coming in the other direction. Each-way travel reached a peak of 12,000 in 2005 when Ireland and Israel competed in the same World Cup qualifying group.

Many technology firms with operations in Ireland also have strong links with Israel, including Intel, Websense and Performix.

Ireland is among the last western European countries to establish a direct air link with Israel.