Flydubai Incident Could Accelerate Israeli-Saudi Security Cooperation, Expert Says

An Israeli security official believes that an emergency landing of a Flydubai plane in Saudi Arabia could serve as a catalyst for enhanced security cooperation between Israel and Saudi Arabia, and potentially other Arab nations. Alon Avitar, a former Israeli Ministry of Defense official and Arab affairs researcher, stated that existing Israeli-Saudi coordination channels, both overt and covert, cover numerous areas of shared interest.

Avitar suggested that the incident, where a Flydubai flight made an unscheduled landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, due to a technical issue, could transform from an exceptional aviation event into a factor that strengthens bilateral security collaboration. He noted that cooperation between Israeli and Saudi security agencies is not new, even if not always officially declared, citing past contacts and coordination on issues driven by shared regional challenges and the need to counter cross-border threats.

The landing in Tabuk placed Saudi security and aviation authorities in direct contact with a flight carrying Israelis, highlighting the potential for practical events to foster communication and coordination channels, even without formal diplomatic ties. Avitar anticipates that this could lead to more organized joint measures in the future, potentially improving coordination mechanisms in civil aviation, information exchange, and emergency response.

He further posited that the incident's implications might extend beyond the bilateral relationship, influencing security cooperation between Israel and other Arab countries, particularly concerning shared regional risks. This development occurs amidst increasing regional discussions on security arrangements, with Saudi-Israeli normalization remaining contingent on broader political and security considerations. Avitar views unplanned events like the Flydubai landing as opportunities to test existing communication channels and transition informal coordination into more defined and sustainable mechanisms, though he emphasizes that actual progress in normalization and official cooperation depends on a wider array of political factors, not solely this aviation incident.