Israel Admits Over 1,200 Air Crew From Non-Diplomatic Nations Entered

More than 1,200 airline crew members from countries without diplomatic relations with Israel have entered the country since the beginning of the year, including individuals from Syria, Lebanon, and Oman. This revelation came during a session of the Knesset's Subcommittee on Intelligence Affairs. Flydubai, an Emirati airline, is reportedly considering extending its suspension of flights to Israel beyond October 15th. Israeli media cited a representative from the Airports Authority stating that the airline is contemplating an additional week-long extension to its current flight suspension.

The disclosure of aircrew entry from non-diplomatic nations follows an intensified Israeli review of screening procedures for foreign airline crews. This heightened scrutiny was prompted by an attempted hijacking of a Flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv by its Omani co-pilot, Homam Al-Hammami. Al-Hammami allegedly confessed during an investigation in the UAE that he had planned the attack before joining Flydubai. Reports indicate that Omani authorities had previously monitored Al-Hammami's online activity, noting his interest in extremist ideology, and did not trust him to continue as a pilot for Oman Air. He was referred to an anti-extremism program and moved to an office job, but Omani authorities did not share their concerns with other relevant parties. It is estimated that if Oman had revoked his pilot's license, other regional countries would have been alerted and exercised caution.

Flydubai reportedly did not contact Omani authorities to verify Al-Hammami's background when he was hired, limiting its checks to his criminal record. UAE authorities are investigating individuals involved in Al-Hammami's hiring process, while Abu Dhabi and Israeli entities are examining whether early signs of his extremist leanings emerged during his time in Australia. Sources familiar with the case revealed that Al-Hammami had flown to Israel multiple times before the attempted hijacking.

The Wall Street Journal report also pointed to failures by Israeli authorities, particularly the Ministry of Transportation, which is supposedly responsible for screening arriving passengers and aircrew from foreign airlines. However, Israeli Minister of Transportation Miri Regev stated last week that the responsibility for intelligence analysis and screening of foreign aircrew lies with the security agencies, not her ministry.