1,240 Foreign Air Crew Entered Israel From Hostile Nations Last Year

A classified discussion in the Knesset's Intelligence Subcommittee on Tuesday revealed that approximately 1,240 aircrew members from countries without diplomatic ties to Israel, including Syria, Oman, and Lebanon, entered the country in the past year. The revelation came in the wake of an attempted hijacking of a Flydubai flight. A representative from the Ministry of Transportation expressed surprise at the figure and admitted unfamiliarity with the information. The National Security Council (NSC) was tasked with collaborating with the Mossad and Shin Bet to identify countries posing a high threat. Following this, security agencies will have 48 hours before each flight to vet and approve aircrew arriving from these designated nations. The data highlighted a significant lapse in the security screening of foreign aircrew, particularly those from hostile states or countries with which Israel lacks diplomatic coordination mechanisms. Unlike regular passengers, aircrew frequently enter Israel, potentially exposing airport operations and security procedures. In response, initial steps are being taken to regulate the entry of foreign crews. The Ministry of Transportation, in conjunction with the NSC, is developing a system that will interface with the Population and Immigration Authority to issue temporary, single-entry visas for foreign aircrew who have received necessary approvals. This initiative follows an incident where a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, due to a safety issue in the cockpit, which exposed security control deficiencies concerning foreign airline crews flying to Israel.