BEIRUT, Lebanon - A Qatar Airways passenger jet flew to Beirut international airport from Doha Monday despite an ongoing Israeli air and sea blockade of Lebanon.

Flight QR 422 arrived in the Lebanese capital shortly before 1230 GMT with 142 passengers who were greeted by a cheering crowd that gave them roses as they cleared immigration.

One passenger said that many of those on board, including Lebanese, Palestinian and foreign nationals, had flashed victory signs and burst into applause as the Airbus passenger jet landed.

The plane, which was also transporting humanitarian aid, headed back to Doha with 124 passengers on board.

The airline plans to operate the flights daily barring "unexpected events", a company spokesman in Beirut said.

Lebanese Transport Minister Mohammed Safadi encouraged other carriers to follow Qatar Airway's example.

"I urge all airlines, whether Arab or other, to force the Israeli air blockade.

But a spokesman for Israel's foreign ministry, Mark Regev, said Monday's flight would not have been possible without clearance by Israel.

"The entrance into Lebanon of aircraft and ships necessitates coordination with Israel," he said.

On Sunday, a Qatar Airways spokeswoman had said the flight was aimed at breaking the Israeli blockade.

"We have asked for authorisation from the Lebanese authorities and they have given it. Therefore flight QR 422 is going to go to Beirut," the spokeswoman said on condition of anonymity.

Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabr al-Thani slammed the blockade during a joint press conference in Doha with UN chief Kofi Annan Monday and said there was no reason why the flight could not proceed.

"No official blockade of Lebanon has been declared by the United Nations or the international community," Sheikh Hamad said.

"There is only a blockade by the Israelis which is a violation of UN Resolution 1701."

He said resumed service was crucial to helping Lebanese who had been affected by the conflict.

An Israeli diplomatic source told AFP on Monday the Qatar Airways flight had in fact been cleared by the Jewish state.

"This is a flight that was coordinated with Israel a week ago within a framework of the humanitarian corridor," the source said on condition of anonymity. "We find it strange Qatar has made an issue out of this."

In Doha, Annan repeated his call for Israel to lift the embargo.

"The embargo is not sustainable," he said. "It is a particularly destructive act because it's at a time when Lebanon is trying to reconstruct. I think we will need to see the embargo lifted as soon as possible."

Israel imposed an air and sea blockade on Lebanon at the outset of its 34-day conflict with Hezbollah on July 12, aimed at preventing the Shiite militia from receiving arms.

However, aid flights have regularly landed at Beirut international airport after receiving Israeli authorizations.

The only two companies currently able to operate regular commercial flights to Beirut, via Amman, are Lebanon's Middle East Airlines and Royal Jordanian.

Israel has said the blockade would be lifted once a UN brokered truce that went into effect on August 14 has been implemented fully under Resolution 1701.

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