Pilot Accused of Attempted Hijacking May Have Entered Israel Previously

An investigation is examining the possibility that the pilot accused of attempting to crash a Flydubai flight into Israel had previously entered the country as a pilot. This contradicts initial reports following the incident, which denied such a possibility. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu acknowledged a "loophole" that allowed the pilot, identified as Maam Al-Hami, to obtain a permit to fly to Israel despite his country not having official relations with the Jewish state. Sources in the Ministry of Transport have not denied the possibility that Al-Hami had flown to Israel before, but stated they currently have no such information.

Reports indicate that Al-Hami was suspended by his previous employer, Oman Air, in 2024 due to religious and jihadist radicalization. It remains unclear if this information was passed to Flydubai before they hired him. Royal Air Maroc also confirmed that Al-Hami underwent training with them but was not hired. These instances suggest a security lapse by the Emirati authorities, with one source telling Ynet that "it is clear there was a safety malfunction with the Emiratis. This is number 1. Nothing will be covered up. Nothing will escape. We also had a malfunction: an Omani entered Israel and you did not check him. Everyone will have to conduct an internal review."

The Shin Bet claims responsibility only for Israeli airlines, but critics argue this is an underestimation of the problem, questioning the likelihood of an Israeli pilot attempting such an act and highlighting a significant failure in international airline cooperation. A 2023 Israeli law requires all airlines to provide passenger and crew details to Israel as part of visa waiver agreements with the US. While the data is held by the Tax Authority for privacy, the Mossad, Shin Bet, and police insisted on access for counter-terrorism purposes. The case raises questions about whether pilots were included in this data collection and necessitates a review of flight security for all flights arriving in Israel, including those on foreign carriers.

Further details emerged suggesting Al-Hami was born in the UAE to an Omani father and Syrian mother. His LinkedIn profile indicated he worked for Oman Air for seven years until February 2025 and later for Royal Air Morocco for six months before joining Flydubai this year. Two posts on his LinkedIn account, uploaded nine hours after the incident, featured videos of Boeing 737 MAX cockpits, the same model involved in the attempted crash, and included footage of El Al and Arkia planes, as well as a reference to Al-Qaeda leader. The Crown Prince and Defense Minister of Dubai, Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, praised the injured Indian pilot, Smith Machchar, for his bravery.