Israel's Transportation Minister and Ex-Director Clash Over Flydubai Incident Blame

A public dispute has erupted between Israel's current Minister of Transportation, Miri Regev, and former Director General of the Ministry of Transportation and Ministry of Finance, Keren Turner, over responsibility for an incident involving Flydubai. The conflict escalated after Regev, in a television interview, blamed security services for the incident and criticized Turner.

Regev stated that the security of foreign airlines falls under the purview of intelligence agencies like the Mossad and Shin Bet, not the Ministry of Transportation. She argued that security services are responsible for determining threat levels and flight destinations. Regev also accused Turner of engaging in a political campaign and suggested Turner should remain silent due to her own tenure as Director General.

In response, Turner took to social media platform X, asserting that the Ministry of Transportation, under Regev's leadership, is directly responsible for the safety of foreign airlines. Turner cited a 2008 decision that granted the Civil Aviation Authority independent status under the Minister of Transportation. She also pointed to a classified State Comptroller's report from May 2024, which she claims revealed deficiencies in the ministry's security department during Regev's term, warning of these issues without action being taken.

Turner further criticized the ministry's internal structure and Regev's appointments, suggesting a lack of proper oversight for aviation matters. She concluded by stating that after celebrating the prevention of a disaster, it is time for answers and that the current government should not be allowed to cover up failures, comparing the situation to the aftermath of the October 7th events.