Israel Allowed Over 1200 Pilots From Hostile Nations Entry This Year
Translated & summarized from Channel 9 by baba
Since the start of the year, over 1,200 airline crew members from countries without diplomatic relations with Israel, including Syria and Lebanon, have entered the country. The issue was discussed at a closed Knesset committee meeting amid security concerns. Following an attempted hijacking, a proposal was made for mandatory entry permits for all foreign crews. The Minister of Transport clarified that security vetting is the responsibility of intelligence agencies, not her ministry.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Over 1,200 airline crew members from countries without diplomatic ties to Israel entered the country this year.
- Pilots and flight attendants from Syria, Lebanon, and Oman were among those who visited Israel.
- The Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee discussed security concerns related to foreign airline crews.
- A proposal was made to require mandatory temporary entry permits for all foreign flight crews.
- Omani intelligence had previously flagged pilot Hamam al-Hamami for radical sentiments but did not share concerns internationally.
- The Israeli Ministry of Transport reportedly did not request passenger or crew lists from airlines since 2023.
Over 1,200 airline crew members from countries without diplomatic ties to Israel have entered the country since the beginning of the year, reported Kan news. Among those who visited Israel were pilots and flight attendants from nations such as Syria, Lebanon, and Oman. These details emerged during a closed session of the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, which addressed security concerns.
Following a recent attempted plane hijacking, a representative from the Ministry of Transport proposed implementing mandatory temporary entry permits for all foreign flight crews. Currently, the Population and Immigration Authority is responsible for document checks and must relay information to defense agencies for vetting.
Minister of Transport Miri Regev stated that intelligence filtering and vetting of foreign crews fall under the purview of Israeli security services, not her ministry. Kan correspondent Yaara Shapira reported on this statement.
Further details regarding the background of Oman pilot Hamam al-Hamami, who was involved in an incident, were revealed by The Wall Street Journal. According to the WSJ, Omani intelligence had previously noted al-Hamami's radical online sentiments and had removed him from his position at Oman Air. However, Oman did not share these concerns with international partners or revoke his pilot's license, which could have alerted other regional countries. Flydubai, the airline that hired him, reportedly conducted only a basic criminal background check, overlooking his professional history in Oman.
The Wall Street Journal also highlighted significant oversights by Israeli authorities in vetting foreign airline employees. The WSJ reported that the Israeli Ministry of Transport had not requested passenger or crew lists since establishing a database in 2023, with the ministry claiming ignorance of this capability. The ministry had relied on Flydubai for pilot background checks. The WSJ indicated that authorities in Oman, the UAE, and Israel had opportunities to prevent al-Hamami from flying before the incident occurred. Omani authorities had identified his "excessive interest in radical ideology" while he was with Oman Air, banned him from flying, and enrolled him in a deradicalization program, but did not widely share their concerns.
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