Eisenkot Blames Transportation Minister Regev for Flydubai Incident

Gadi Eisenkot, Chairman of the Israel Railway Workers Union, has sharply criticized Transportation Minister Miri Regev following a serious incident on a Flydubai flight. In a podcast interview, Eisenkot described the event as a "major failure and blunder," assigning responsibility to both professional and political levels. He suggested that the co-pilot, who allegedly attempted to seize control of the aircraft, was an extremist whose background could have been identified by security agencies like the Shin Bet or Mossad. Eisenkot then directly attacked Minister Regev and her management of the ministry, stating, "It starts with the appointment of unworthy ministers, both professionally and ethically. And Miri Regev has failed miserably; she is utterly unsuitable for this role." He further criticized Regev's appointments within the ministry, claiming she surrounds herself with people from the Likud party's center. Eisenkot asserted that this nepotism leads to a weak professional echelon that is loyal to the minister, the party, and the prime minister, rather than to the State of Israel. He concluded that Israel is accepting this "mediocrity and this irresponsibility across the entire front."