Israel Seeks Tighter Foreign Crew Screening After Flydubai Incident
Translated & summarized from Cursorinfo by baba
Israel is seeking to implement stricter security checks for foreign airline crews following an attempted terror attack involving a Flydubai employee. The Israeli government wants to receive crew data 48 hours before flights but faces resistance from European countries regarding personal information sharing. Minister Miri Regev is leading efforts to establish new screening mechanisms and is engaged in negotiations with the UAE to resume Flydubai operations and expand air travel. The push for enhanced security comes amid concerns over crew members from countries without diplomatic ties to Israel arriving in the country.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Israel seeks 48-hour advance notice for foreign airline crew data due to a security incident.
- European nations are reportedly refusing to share personal pilot information with Israel.
- Flydubai dismissed staff responsible for crew background checks after the incident.
- Israel is negotiating with the UAE to resume Flydubai flights and increase air traffic.
- Minister Miri Regev proposed a new 'aviation visa' system for all air arrivals.
- Over 1,200 crew members from non-diplomatic countries arrived in Israel last year.
Following an attempted terror attack involving a Flydubai crew member, Israel is pushing to overhaul security checks for foreign pilots and flight attendants. The Israeli government wants to receive crew data 48 hours before flights but is facing resistance from European nations unwilling to share personal pilot information, according to Maariv.
Flydubai has dismissed employees responsible for vetting crew backgrounds in the wake of the incident. Sources familiar with the matter indicate the airline has reassessed and changed its personnel involved in these checks. Meanwhile, ongoing negotiations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates aim to resolve the crisis and resume Flydubai's operations.
During a recent meeting, Israeli Transport Minister Miri Regev and the UAE Ambassador to Israel discussed the Emirates' desire to reinstate 10 daily Flydubai flights and increase overall air traffic from UAE airlines. Regev has been invited for an official visit to the UAE next week, potentially accompanied by representatives from the Shin Bet and the National Security Council, to coordinate security requirements for resuming flights.
Discussions also cover security measures to expand Israeli airlines' operations in the UAE, with the Emirates agreeing to enhanced screening. Regev is seeking permission for each Israeli airline to operate two daily flights. These talks follow Regev's earlier demand to halt Flydubai flights due to the attempted attack, while security investigations continue.
Israel plans to establish a new, broader screening mechanism for all air arrivals. Regev proposed a special "aviation visa" or similar document for all passengers and crew, requiring data submission 48 hours prior to departure for approval by the Population and Immigration Authority. She also requested the Mossad and Shin Bet identify high-threat destinations, mandating airlines flying from these locations to submit passenger and crew manifests 48 hours in advance for pre-flight security vetting.
Regev noted that some proposed measures had been previously rejected and urged their implementation this time. She also called for an urgent meeting with relevant agencies to ensure new instructions are followed before the National Security Council completes its review. These discussions occur amid revelations that 1,240 crew members with citizenship from countries lacking diplomatic ties with Israel, including Syria, Lebanon, and Oman, arrived in Israel last year, raising questions about existing security protocols.
Compounding the issue, EU states reportedly oppose sharing crew data with Israel's National Passenger Data Analysis Center due to privacy laws. The center, established in 2023 under the Tax Authority, is being considered for transfer to a security-focused agency to facilitate pre-flight crew information gathering. This situation unfolds against a long-standing debate over civil aviation security responsibilities.
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