Israel must be ready for any threat, no matter how unthinkable it may seem - editorial

The Jerusalem Post editorial argues that Israel must lower its tolerance for catastrophic vulnerabilities following the October 7 massacre. It uses the recent Flydubai hijacking attempt as a case study, warning that threats can emerge from unexpected sources like commercial aviation. The piece calls for security doctrine based on enemy capability rather than assessed intent, and criticizes the lack of accountability in security vetting for foreign pilots flying to Israel.

The Jerusalem Post editorial argues that Israel must fundamentally shift its security doctrine in the wake of the October 7 massacre, moving from assessing enemy intent to preparing for enemy capability. The piece uses the recent Flydubai hijacking attempt as a case study, noting that the terrorist copilot, Hamam al-Hammami, deliberately chose flydubai for its route to Tel Aviv. The editorial criticizes the lack of accountability in security vetting for foreign pilots flying to Israel, noting that flydubai hired Hammami without a background check with Omani authorities, despite warnings from Australian and Moroccan authorities. The piece warns that threats can emerge from unexpected sources like commercial aviation, and calls for permanently lowered tolerance for vulnerabilities with catastrophic potential. The editorial frames this as a necessary lesson from October 7, which demonstrated the danger of confusing an assessment with a guarantee.