Palestinian twins open cafe in converted jet in West Bank

Few Palestinians in the occupied West Bank get to board an airplane these days

RAMALLAH, West Bank -- Few Palestinians in the occupied West Bank get to board an airplane these days. The territory has no civilian airport and those who can afford a plane ticket must catch their flights in neighboring Jordan. But just outside the northern city of Nablus, a pair of twins is offering people the next best thing. Khamis al-Sairafi and brother Ata have converted an old Boeing 707 into a cafe and restaurant for customers to board. ‘‘Ninety-nine percent of Palestinians have never used an airplane. Only our ambassadors, diplomats, ministers and mayors use them. Now they see an airplane and it is something for them,’' said Khamis al-Sairafi. After a quarter century of effort, the brothers opened “The Palestinian-Jordanian Airline Restaurant and Coffee Shop al-Sairafi” on July 21.