UAE Security Flaws Allowed Jihadist Pilot on Flight to Israel

An Israeli journalist explained the security lapse that allowed a pilot with radical religious views to fly a passenger plane to Israel, following a question from a foreign colleague. The incident highlights potential weaknesses in security protocols established under the 2020 "Abraham Accords" between the UAE and Israel, which include a bilateral air services agreement signed in its final form in May 2023.

Under the agreement, each country is primarily responsible for security checks within its own territory. This means Israel is responsible for security at Ben Gurion Airport, while the UAE is responsible for security at Dubai Airport, including checks for flight crews. The destination country, however, retains the right to impose additional security requirements on foreign carriers.

While Israel maintains there is an understanding that only pilots from countries with diplomatic ties to Israel can fly UAE flights to Ben Gurion, this specific nationality restriction is not explicitly stated in the published text of the bilateral agreement. This point is considered crucial by the author.

Furthermore, the article notes that airlines, due to crew rotations and varied flight paths, may struggle to consistently enforce such nationality restrictions. The primary failure, according to the author, was FlyDubai hiring a pilot with radical religious views, which ultimately led to him being on a flight to Tel Aviv.

Notably, Oman's national airline had previously grounded Hamam al-Hammami, deeming him dangerous, suggesting stricter internal protocols. This incident is described as a damaging scandal for FlyDubai and the UAE, likely leading to tightened security measures, possibly with Israeli involvement. The author concludes by wishing well to pilot Smith Machchar, who was injured, and emphasizes the stringent security checks employed by Israeli airlines, contrasting them with the situation involving the UAE carrier.