Israel Debates Responsibility for Aviation Security Lapses

Following an attempted hijacking of a Flydubai flight, questions have arisen regarding the division of responsibility for the security of foreign airlines operating in Israel. The Ministry of Transportation is deflecting blame towards intelligence agencies, despite its legal mandate to oversee foreign aviation security. The ministry claims it did not receive lists of pilots from foreign companies, even though the law designates it as responsible for such checks. In practice, the ministry relied on self-reporting from the airlines and lacks knowledge of pilots who have landed in Israel in recent years.

According to existing procedures, foreign airlines are supposed to submit crew lists to the National Passenger Screening Center (MALAN), a body within the Tax Authority. Both the Mossad and the Shin Bet have access to these lists. The Ministry of Transportation, legally tasked with enforcing safety standards for foreign airlines, asserts it was unaware of its obligation to receive and vet these pilot lists. This has led to a dispute over which entity, the Ministry of Transportation or the intelligence services, should be responsible for vetting pilots and preventing future security failures.

The Ministry of Transportation's Security Department acts as the regulator for foreign airlines, enforcing established parameters. The Aviation Security Operations Center (MAMLAT), under this department, receives lists of incoming aircraft and crew, and is supposed to monitor them. A Knesset law assigns primary responsibility to the ministry, and a 2003 government decision further designates the Minister of Transportation as responsible for the examination and supervision of civilian aircraft entering Israeli airspace.

MAMLAT serves as the security gateway for all air traffic into Israel, functioning as a coordination point between airlines, the Airport Authority, the government, and security agencies. An advanced system developed by Elbit collects and analyzes data from various sources to identify and flag suspicious flights. The Shin Bet is responsible for the security of Israeli airlines and relays security requirements, such as barring crew from enemy states, to foreign carriers. These carriers are also required to conduct background checks on pilots.

If suspicions arise, the Ministry of Transportation is supposed to alert the Mossad, which then becomes involved in the investigation. Recent reports revealed that no Israeli entity was aware that a specific pilot involved in the incident had been flagged in Oman for religious extremism and had previously flown into Israel. The Ministry of Transportation reportedly accepted airline self-reporting without conducting independent intelligence monitoring. An internal National Security Council document from last year indicated the Ministry of Transportation's failure to fulfill its role in the security chain, a point also raised by the State Comptroller in a classified report in May 2024. Minister Regev has stated that the ministry is not an intelligence body and that the lists were not received by them, framing the issue as a new global threat. Security officials acknowledge the possibility of other similarly radicalized pilots in foreign companies and are engaged in international cooperation to identify them, though they caution that preventing future incidents entirely is impossible without halting foreign aviation to Israel.