UAE Security Probe Findings to Be Shared With Israel Soon

Security officials anticipate that official security bodies in the United Arab Emirates will soon formally transfer the findings of their investigation into an Omani pilot's attempted attack on a Flydubai flight to Israel's Foreign Ministry and security representatives. This transfer is expected in the coming days, according to sources familiar with the process. Israel plans to study the points of failure and implement new work procedures, including enforcement and oversight, to prevent similar incidents.

Intelligence agencies Mossad and Shin Bet are also interested in expanding the investigation to assess the potential for future attacks by "lone wolves" or terrorist infrastructures, possibly with organizational or state backing hostile to Israel. The attempted serious attack on the Flydubai plane, en route from the UAE to Israel, reportedly caught Israel's security establishment off guard, revealing a significant lapse in basic security procedures and minimal oversight of airspace, a critical area for Israel.

Contrary to expectations of complete synergy among security bodies post-October 7th, the article suggests their coordination remains weak, with a lack of clarity regarding responsibility for the failures and a tendency to shift blame. This ambiguity has led to a situation where no single entity is clearly in charge.

Strategically, Israel had hoped for a more accommodating stance from Saudi Arabia, given its past intelligence assistance. However, Saudi Arabia did not permit Israeli Air Force landings or even civilian aircraft landings, necessitating an additional Flydubai flight. The crew of this flight underwent Mossad checks, and passengers expressed concern, requiring Israeli security to reassure them. Cargo was transported separately due to time constraints and fears of further attacks.

The incident is particularly surprising given Israel's peace agreement with the UAE, whose security agencies were expected to be closely aligned with their Israeli counterparts. Israel's desire for direct involvement in the investigation reportedly clashed with the UAE's preference for a professional, thorough, and behind-the-scenes approach at their own pace.

The reality of the situation has apparently shown Israel that regional cooperation is not a substitute for independent Israeli security, which was previously thought to be impenetrable. The immediate conclusion from initial debriefings is that before strengthening relations with moderate Sunni nations, Israel must first clarify internal responsibilities among its own security agencies and the Ministry of Transportation. The article concludes that until the method of the attacker's infiltration and the failure to prevent the threat are understood, the security "leak" continues, and the responsible party to fix it has yet to be identified. Security officials noted that the incident caused embarrassment, leading to reluctance in taking responsibility.