( CNN ) -- The FAA 's ban on U.S. flights to and from Israel 's main airport for a second day marks another blow to that country 's economy and a success for Hamas militants , experts said Wednesday . Even Israeli officials acknowledged the economic setback in the first 24 hours of the ban , which the FAA will review again Thursday . The European Aviation Safety Agency also recommended avoiding Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv , Israel , when the FAA imposed its ban Tuesday . `` I will not hide it from you . This is a major setback from Israel , the unfortunate American decision and what followed later was the European decisions , '' said Giora Romm , director of Civil Aviation Authority of Israel . `` And it is a big hit to the Israeli economy and to our pride , '' he said . But he and other Israeli officials insisted their country 's sophisticated anti-missile system makes Ben Gurion Airport a safe place , even though a Hamas rocket from Gaza fell one mile away from the airfield , prompting the FAA temporary ban on U.S. flights . `` We knew about that rocket , '' said Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev . `` We were tracking it for about three minutes , our Air Force . We could have taken it down , but because we saw that it was n't going to hit inside the airport , we let it through . '' For some Americans , Gaza conflict strikes close to home . The FAA ban marks something of a victory for Hamas -- as well as prudent decision to protect commercial airlines , one expert said . `` I would say it 's both because what is the objective of terrorists ? To incite terror in people , '' said Tim Clemente , a retired FBI counterterrorism agent , who was referring to Hamas . `` I think because they probably got lucky with this one rocket that came close enough to Ben Gurion to make it seem like the threat was legitimate , '' Clemente added . `` It probably seemed like an empty threat initially . The more and more rockets flying into Israeli air space , ( it 's ) eventually bound to happen that they could go this far . These projectiles , no different than firing a bullet into the air , it 's got to drop in somewhere , and that trajectory is not well known by the person who fires it . '' Israel finds Hamas are no longer amateur fighters . U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine , D-Virginia , who flew to Israel a couple of months ago , said he would feel comfortable flying to Tel Aviv this week , despite the FAA decision . `` Yes , I would feel comfortable , but I can understand why the FAA or other airlines who have liability concerns , who are worried about not just what one or two passengers feel but what everybody feels , I understand why they 're being cautious , '' Kaine said . Last week 's shooting down of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over Ukraine , `` demonstrates reason for caution , '' Kaine added . Fawzi Barhoum , a Hamas spokesman , described the missile landing near the airport as one victory in the ongoing war between Hamas and Israel in Gaza . `` The resistance success in stopping the air traffic and isolating Israel from the world is a great victory for the resistance , '' Barhoum told Al-Aqsa TV . Another Hamas spokesman , Osama Hamdan , said Hamas is targeting Ben Gurion Airport `` because it 's used by the Israel air forces . '' Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg flew Wednesday to Israel aboard its national airline El Al and met with the Prime Minister and with President Shimon Peres . Bloomberg took exception with the FAA 's temporary ban and said air travel to Israel was safe . He described the Tel Aviv airport and the national airline as `` the world 's most secure . '' `` The fact that a rocket falls a mile away does n't mean you should shut down air traffic into a country and paralyze the country , '' Bloomberg said . Bloomberg said he was `` standing up for what 's right '' and condemned Hamas for trying to kill Israelis . Referring to Hamas ' claim of victory in disrupting air traffic , Bloomberg said , `` I probably do n't agree with a lot of things that Hamas says , but that is probably true . '' Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat said if Israel thought flying there was a risk , `` I would have called Michael ( Bloomberg ) and said , 'Do n't come . ' `` The reality is that if Hamas goes 'boo ' and you get scared , you 're helping Hamas with its goals , '' Barkat said . `` That 's what terrorists try to do . They try to terrorize you . `` The best way to fight terrorism is exactly go on with your normal life , '' the mayor said . U.S. extends ban on flights into Israel 's Ben Gurion Airport . What is Israel 's endgame in Gaza ? What is Hamas ' endgame in Gaza ? CNN 's Tim Lister contributed from Jerusalem .
NEW : Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat says if `` you get scared , you 're helping Hamas '' NEW : Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg flies to Israel on its national airline . NEW : The Israeli government has announced plans for a new airport in the West Bank city of Ramallah. The FAA ban on U.S. flights to Tel Aviv is `` a major setback '' for Israel , official says .