Israel Tightens Airport Security After Flydubai Incident

Transportation Minister Miri Regev is pushing for a system requiring airlines to submit passenger and crew details 48 hours in advance, especially for flights originating from high-risk destinations. These details will be reviewed by the Shin Bet or Mossad before the flight departs for Israel. Regev has requested that the National Security Council (NSC) and security agencies compile a list of high-threat destinations by Thursday, with the new procedures to take effect Sunday.

Regev also noted in a letter that some of these proposed measures had been previously rejected. She urged the head of the NSC to ensure their implementation this time. The new measures come after data revealed that 1,240 aircrew members from countries without diplomatic ties with Israel, including Syria, Lebanon, and Oman, entered Israel in the past year. This raised concerns about the information provided on foreign airline crews and the division of responsibilities among security bodies.

Additional challenges include the reluctance of some European Union countries to share aircrew data due to privacy concerns, hindering the National Passenger Data Analysis Center's (Mala"n) ability to process information. There is a push to transfer Mala"n from the Tax Authority to a different governmental framework more suited for security intelligence gathering. The article also highlights a long-standing dispute over aviation security responsibilities, particularly concerning chartered flights. Regev had previously assigned responsibility for securing certain chartered flights to the Ministry of Transportation's security department, citing its expertise and operational capabilities, but emphasized the need for 40 million shekels and ten positions to fully implement these duties.