JERUSALEM, June 10 (Reuters) - Israel's El Al Israel Airlines said on Monday it would acquire around 30 Boeing 737MAX aircraft to renew its short-haul fleet in a deal estimated to be worth between $2 billion-2.5 billion.

The carrier said deliveries would begin in 2027 and would be spread out over several years.

Earlier this month Boeing and its European rival Airbus were locked in negotiations with the Israeli flag carrier for the order to replace and expand El Al's fleet of narrow-body jets.

El Al operates an all Boeing wide-and narrow-body fleet, but had also been assessing Airbus' A321 neo jets.

The deal is a boost to Boeing, which is wrestling with a safety crisis exacerbated by a January mid-air panel blowout on a near-new 737 MAX plane operated by Alaska Airlines.

Following the Alaska Airlines incident on Jan. 5, U.S. regulators have curbed the company's production ceiling.

Boeing is also under renewed scrutiny from the U.S. Justice Department, which is weighing whether to advance criminal charges against the company for violating a non-prosecution agreement stemming from the two fatal crashes involving the MAX.

El Al CEO Dina Ben Tal Ganancia told Reuters earlier this month she believed Boeing had no other choice than to transform the company and fix the many issues it faces.

Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun recently reiterated the planemaker's commitment to safety and transparency, especially in the wake of the Alaska Airlines incident, saying Boeing was now a "different" company. (Reporting by Steven Scheer; Additional reporting by Allison Lampert; Writing by James Mackenzie; Editing by Jan Harvey)