Netanyahu Orders Security Review of Foreign Flights After Flydubai Incident

Following an attempted attack on a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered a comprehensive review of security procedures for foreign airlines operating in Israel. Netanyahu has tasked Shmuel Ben-Ezra, the head of the National Security Council, with appointing an independent inspector to examine all security measures for foreign civil aviation and propose improvements.

The incident has highlighted potential weaknesses in the screening of foreign flight crews, raising questions about who was responsible for identifying the co-pilot's risk before he boarded the aircraft. Responsibility has been a point of contention among Israeli authorities. The Ministry of Transport stated it is not an intelligence agency and does not conduct individual security checks on foreign crews, asserting that intelligence matters and checks for foreign airlines fall under the purview of security services like the Mossad. Conversely, the Shin Bet claimed the Ministry of Transport is responsible for reviewing passenger and crew lists for foreign flights.

This dispute is particularly sensitive given reports that Israeli authorities received advance passenger and crew information, including nationalities, from the United Arab Emirates concerning the flight. However, no red flags were reportedly raised about the co-pilot. The core issue appears to be not the availability of information, but rather which agency was tasked with processing it, conducting checks, and preventing problematic crew members from entering Israel.

Contributing to this confusion is an evolution in Israel's aviation security framework. Documents suggest that responsibility for certain checks on foreign airlines was transferred from the Shin Bet to the Ministry of Transport in 2021. The security cabinet had decided that the Civil Aviation Authority should verify that foreign airlines' security measures in certain countries meet international standards. This division of responsibilities is now under scrutiny.

Concerns about foreign flight security had reportedly been raised by Israeli officials, including Shin Bet head David Zini, who allegedly alerted about security measures for flights from the UAE in recent months. The Shin Bet, however, noted its primary responsibility is for Israeli airlines, with Flydubai falling under foreign aviation.

Further complicating matters, security sources reportedly believe the Ministry of Transport and the Mossad were meant to review crew lists, though the Ministry denies conducting independent intelligence checks on foreign crews. Netanyahu's intervention aims to clarify the breakdown in the control chain. He has acknowledged a "breach" in the system and stated Israel must learn from the incident. The security cabinet will also review the circumstances, while investigations by Israel, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia continue. Initial findings suggest an act by an isolated individual, though all possibilities are being examined.

The controversy has also become political, with the opposition criticizing the government and the Ministry of Transport for alleged security lapses. Former ministry officials have also contested the Minister of Transport's account of responsibility. The ordered review will determine how the co-pilot, whose profile should have raised concerns, was assigned to the flight and which agency had the necessary information to prevent it. In the interim, Flydubai has suspended its flights to Israel, and Israeli authorities are working to enhance foreign crew screening and prevent future occurrences.