Israel to Enhance Security Checks for Flight Crews from Hostile Nations

Approximately 1,240 pilots and crew members from Syria, Lebanon, and Oman have entered Israel in recent years, despite these countries not having diplomatic relations with the Jewish state, i24NEWS reported Tuesday. The figures were revealed during a closed-door meeting of the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, convened after a September 30th attempted hijacking of a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. Committee participants stated that the Ministry of Transport representative was "astonished" by the data, which he was unaware of, and requested an investigation. Flydubai's flights to Israel are to remain suspended. Following the hijacking attempt, the Ministry of Transport reminded foreign airlines, including European and American carriers, of procedures for passport checks on crew members from countries without diplomatic ties to Israel. The ministry later acknowledged it does not conduct its own security or intelligence checks on foreign pilots, relying instead on checks by airlines and their home countries' authorities. New measures are now being considered, with the National Security Council tasked to collaborate with the Mossad and Shin Bet to compile a list of high-risk countries. Crew lists from these nations must be submitted to Israeli authorities 48 hours before flights for security review and approval. The Population Authority will also provide the Ministry of Transport's security department with lists of passengers and crew holding passports from countries without diplomatic relations with Israel. "The face of civil aviation in Israel will change from today," stated committee chairman Boaz Bismuth, promising that relevant bodies will provide clear answers regarding the identified failures.