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WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama says the Federal Aviation Administration took "prudent action" in temporarily banning U.S. flights in and out of Israel.
Obama says decisions on airline safety are not made on the basis of politics or alliances. He noted that the FAA ban came on the heels of last week's downing of a passenger jet by a missile in eastern Ukraine.
The FAA issued the ban Tuesday and lifted the restrictions Wednesday night. Obama says that before lifting the ban, the FAA worked with Israel on a "checklist of concerns and mitigation measures" to ensure the safety of U.S. airlines.
The FAA said the ban was imposed out of concern for the risk of planes being hit by Hamas rockets.
Obama made his comments in an interview with CNBC.
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