Israel Missed Red Flags in Flydubai Pilot Attack, Investigation Reveals

An attempted attack on a Flydubai flight to Israel was thwarted by the quick thinking of passengers, similar to the events of October 7th. The co-pilot, Hammam Al-Hamami, had reportedly been restricted from flying by his previous employer, Oman Air, due to extremist views and was transferred to an administrative role. He later worked briefly for Royal Air Maroc before being hired by Flydubai. These circumstances, which should have served as warning signs, were allegedly missed by his employers and by Israeli intelligence, which maintains close ties with Oman, Morocco, and the UAE. Following the incident, Al-Hamami's LinkedIn account featured a picture of an El Al plane and a former Al-Qaeda leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri, suggesting the timing was deliberate. UAE authorities are investigating, and it is understood Al-Hamami intended to crash the plane in Israel. His alleged connections to Iran are still being investigated, and his online radicalization was apparently overlooked.

The article criticizes Israeli authorities for celebrating the averted disaster rather than addressing the significant security lapses. Key bodies implicated include the National Security Council, the Ministry of Transport, the Shin Bet, and the Mossad. Accusations are being exchanged between the Ministry of Transport and the Shin Bet, with each side downplaying their role. Unanswered questions persist regarding the intelligence failure concerning Al-Hamami and dozens of other pilots from non-allied countries who have flown into Israel. There are also concerns about inadequate passenger and crew list monitoring and the non-compliance with security directives by both Israeli and foreign airlines operating in Israel.

Further issues highlighted include systemic problems within the Shin Bet's aviation security division, such as the problematic movement of personnel between regulatory and operational roles. For instance, a former head of aviation security guidance at the Shin Bet moved to head security at El Al, and his predecessor took a role overseeing flights and delegations in North America. This creates a dangerous blurring of lines between regulators and the regulated. A severe shortage of security officers in aviation and embassies is also noted, leading to the appointment of individuals lacking necessary combat or professional backgrounds. The article stresses the need for a comprehensive investigation and public explanation from Prime Minister Netanyahu, emphasizing that the averted disaster was a result of a unique confluence of fortunate events and cannot be relied upon to prevent future attacks by copycats. The author draws a parallel to the concept of "near miss" in the Air Force, arguing that the Flydubai incident should be treated with similar seriousness to extract lessons and prevent future tragedies, contrasting this with Netanyahu's alleged avoidance of responsibility.