Play store
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Transport Minister Miri Regev are facing political pressure over aviation security after an Omani co-pilot allegedly attacked a pilot with an axe on a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
Opposition politicians have called for Regev’s resignation, raising questions over how an Omani national was allowed to serve as a pilot on a flight bound for Israel despite Oman having no diplomatic relations with the country.
The incident occurred weeks before Israel’s October 27 election and has renewed scrutiny of security checks on foreign airlines and their crews.
According to Israeli media reports, security agencies have for years raised concerns over responsibility for vetting foreign airlines and their pilots.
The Times of Israel reported that a dispute had continued for years over which government body should oversee security checks for foreign flights. In 2021, Israel’s security cabinet decided to transfer responsibility from the Shin Bet to the Civil Aviation Authority under the Transport Ministry.
A confidential state audit in 2024 reportedly found that the Transport Ministry was unable to properly fulfil the responsibility assigned to it. The security cabinet subsequently ordered the National Security Council to recommend a new framework, involving representatives from the Transport Ministry, Civil Aviation Authority, Shin Bet, Mossad and Finance Ministry.
The Shin Bet said it lacked the personnel and funding required to conduct security checks on foreign flights. The National Security Council later recommended keeping the responsibility with the Transport Ministry.
Regev has rejected responsibility for any security failure. Speaking to public broadcaster Kan, she said the ministry did not have the authority to conduct security checks on foreign pilots, arguing that security officials were responsible for identifying flight crews and assessing threats.
Her former ministry director-general and opposition candidate Keren Terner criticised the claim, saying the Civil Aviation Authority is directly subordinate to the Transport Ministry and that Regev should therefore bear responsibility for security failures.
Israeli media have also reported that dozens of Omani pilots have operated Flydubai flights to Tel Aviv in recent years, despite an Israeli policy reportedly barring pilots from countries that do not formally recognise Israel from operating flights to the country.
Channel 12 reported that the Shin Bet had failed to enforce the restriction.
Oman did not join the 2020 Abraham Accords and does not have formal diplomatic relations with Israel.