Shin Bet Warned of Flaws in Leased Flights, Minister Ignored Warnings

The Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) issued three separate warnings in recent months regarding deficiencies in the oversight of leased flights operated by foreign companies for Israeli airlines. These warnings, sent to Transportation Minister Miri Regev, the Ministry of Transportation, and the National Security Council (NSC), highlighted that the ministry had not established a risk assessment mechanism for lease companies and had failed to fulfill its oversight responsibilities. The Shin Bet recommended that Minister Regev transfer responsibility for these leased flights to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), but this recommendation was not accepted.

A senior security official familiar with the matter stated that the minister's decision "was not based on objective considerations." The issue at the heart of the Shin Bet's concerns involves "wet lease" flights, where passengers purchase tickets from an Israeli airline, but the aircraft and foreign crew are operated by a foreign company. The Shin Bet cautioned that these flights were not being inspected adequately.

These warnings came to light following an attempted hijacking of a flight. Reports from investigations by the UAE and Saudi Arabia into the incident indicate that the co-pilot, Al-Mami, meticulously planned the attack with the intention of crashing the plane onto Israeli soil. The pilot's name was Smith Machar.