Israel Faces Aviation Security Gaps With Foreign Flight Crews

A persistent gap in the security vetting of foreign aviation crews flying to and from Israel, highlighted by a state comptroller's report and National Security Council (NSC) documents, continues to pose a risk. The issue is particularly acute for Israeli airlines like El Al, Arkia, and Israir, which increasingly rely on wet leases and code-sharing agreements with foreign carriers to meet demand, especially amid the current security situation.

Under a wet lease, an Israeli airline sells tickets and operates flights under its own name but leases the aircraft along with its crew from a foreign company. In code-sharing, an Israeli airline sells seats on a flight operated by another airline. In both scenarios, passengers book with an Israeli company, but the flight is operated by foreign crews, whose background checks are not conducted by the Israeli airlines themselves.

A May 2024 report by the State Comptroller warned of aviation security deficiencies and recommended a reassessment of responsibilities among government bodies. Despite this warning, the problem persists, with responsibility for vetting foreign crews falling between agencies. An NSC document from March 2025 noted that unlike other countries, Israel lacks a single body responsible for aviation security, leading to a historical division of duties between the Shin Bet and the Ministry of Transport.

The Ministry of Transport stated that while its security wing has been responsible for foreign aviation security for decades, a 2021 cabinet decision narrowed the Shin Bet's focus to high-risk leased flights, creating a gap for other leased flights. The ministry has agreed to assume responsibility for these non-high-risk leased flights starting in 2026, contingent on budget and staffing allocations. The ministry also asserted that its security procedures are approved by the NSC and security agencies and are based on international standards and threat assessments.

Arkia and Israir responded, emphasizing their commitment to passenger safety and detailing their vetting processes for foreign partners and crews, which they claim meet Israeli security requirements. El Al did not provide a comment. The Ministry of Transport accused unnamed sources of spreading misinformation and deliberately misleading the public by conflating issues related to foreign flights with those of leased flights.