National Security Council Criticized Transportation Ministry Over Foreign Flight Checks

The National Security Council (NSC) criticized the Ministry of Transportation last year for failing to adequately vet foreign flights entering Israel. This responsibility had been transferred from the Shin Bet to the Ministry of Transportation in 2021, following a decision by the Ministerial Committee on National Security, according to a security source. However, an NSC report indicated that after internal deliberations, the organization's position was that the Ministry would fulfill its duties, remaining under the Civil Aviation Authority. The final decision on the matter rests with the Ministry of Transportation. The details were first reported by Galei Tzahal (Army Radio).

The NSC report also noted that unlike other countries, Israel lacks a single body responsible for aviation security, with the duty split between the Shin Bet and the Ministry of Transportation. The Shin Bet is responsible for Israeli airlines, while the Ministry of Transportation oversees foreign flights. In a recent interview, Minister of Transportation Miri Regev stated that intelligence agencies are responsible for vetting flight crew lists, asserting, "The ones who are supposed to perform the verification are intelligence bodies, and we are not intelligence bodies." One significant security lapse highlighted was that Israeli law does not currently mandate strict oversight of the identities of flight crews on flights to Israel. While a 2023 Knesset-approved law allows the state to collect real-time data on flight crew identities, it does not compel security systems to actively implement this oversight. The collection of information from airlines is contingent on an active request from Israel. If requested and received at least 48 hours before departure, the Shin Bet, Mossad, and police may review the data for counter-terrorism and aviation security purposes, but are not obligated to do so.

Security sources stated that Israel had received the passenger and crew lists for a Flydubai flight in advance. According to these sources, the security entities responsible for monitoring and vetting foreign flight crews landing in Israel, and who should have reviewed the list, are the security department within the Ministry of Transportation and the Mossad. These two bodies are reportedly meant to receive lists of foreign flight crews arriving in Israel and to flag any concerns.