Lapid Slams Netanyahu's Probe into Flydubai Security Lapse

Opposition leader Yair Lapid on Sunday criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to order a comprehensive review of security procedures for foreign airlines flying to Israel, following a security incident on a Flydubai flight. Lapid dismissed the investigation as a "sham," arguing that the series of failures preceding the event could have led to a historically catastrophic disaster. He pointed to a two-year-old State Comptroller's report that had warned of such risks. Lapid accused Netanyahu of evading responsibility, comparing it to his alleged evasion of accountability for the October 7th attacks, and vowed to rectify the situation under a future government. The Prime Minister's directive came after significant criticism of the Transportation Ministry regarding the identity and extremist religious views of a pilot, who reportedly had been previously removed from two other airlines but continued to fly into Israel unimpeded. The Prime Minister's office stated that the Head of the National Security Council, Shmuel Ben Ezra, will appoint an examiner to conduct an in-depth investigation into aviation security protocols within the Transportation Ministry and relevant bodies, and to formulate conclusions and corrections.