Yedioth Ahronoth: Security Warnings and Netanyahu's Admission of a 'Gap' on Flydubai Flight

Bethlehem - Afaq News - The Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper (ynet) revealed increasing questions regarding the security and oversight measures that allowed the Omani co-pilot on Flydubai flight FZ1073 to operate on the plane heading from Dubai to Tel Aviv, following Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's admission of a "gap" in the security system.

According to the report, the head of the Israeli Security Agency (Shabak), David Zini, had warned in recent months that the level of security protection for flights coming from the UAE does not meet the required standard, but Flydubai is a foreign company, and thus its security procedures do not fall directly under the responsibility of Shabak as is the case with Israeli airlines.

The newspaper states that this issue has brought back to the forefront a fundamental question: who was supposed to ensure that the flight crew members met Israeli security requirements, and who was responsible for halting the appointment of the Omani pilot?

Netanyahu stated in an interview with Fox News that there are restrictions preventing the employment of pilots from countries that do not have diplomatic relations with Israel on flights heading there, adding that the Omani co-pilot managed to bypass these restrictions, describing what happened as a "gap," and confirming that authorities are working to address it. He also mentioned that it is essential to conduct prior checks on pilots.

Who is responsible for monitoring foreign flights?

According to the official website of the Israeli Civil Aviation Authority, the authority is responsible for licensing and monitoring airlines, as well as conducting inspections on foreign airlines and foreign aircraft arriving in Israel, and overseeing aviation personnel within its regulatory responsibilities.

At the same time, the aviation security system in Israel operates through several entities, making it a key focus of current investigations to determine which entity was supposed to detect the violation or prevent the operation of the Omani pilot.

Reports related to the issue indicate that this problem is not new; the Israeli state auditor has previously addressed international civil aviation security and recommended reviewing the distribution of responsibilities among different entities and establishing a clearer framework for dealing with international aviation security, including foreign flights entering Israel.

Investigations following the FlyDubai incident

This comes after the incident that occurred on board the aircraft, when the Omani co-pilot assaulted the captain inside the cockpit, an incident that led to the flight veering off course and making an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after crew members and passengers intervened and took control of the situation. Investigations are still looking into the motives of the attacker and whether he acted alone or if there was an entity behind him.

In a separate development, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that what he is hearing indicates a potential link between the attacker and Iran, but he clarified that investigations into this matter are still ongoing. In contrast, Israeli media reported, citing security sources, that there are currently no decisive indications of a direct Iranian directive for the attack.

Thus, the Flydubai incident raises not only questions about the motives of the attacker but also opens a broader file regarding the security screening mechanisms for foreign flight crews, the distribution of responsibilities between security agencies and aviation authorities, and how the 'breach' mentioned by Netanyahu was able to reach the cockpit.