Israeli watchdogs demand state inquiry into flight security failures following flydubai attack

The Movement for Quality Government in Israel called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Transportation Minister Miri Regev, and Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara to establish a state inquiry into security failures in screening foreign flights, following an attempted terrorist attack on a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. The watchdog cited reports that crew data had not been checked for two years and that warnings from 2024 went unheeded.

The Movement for Quality Government in Israel called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Transportation Minister Miri Regev, and Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara to establish a government inquiry headed by a retired judge to examine failures in the security screening of foreign flights entering Israel. The demand followed the attempted terrorist attack on a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday, amid reports of persistent gaps in the screening of flight crews and the transfer of information between state authorities. The watchdog presented information indicating that the details of the flight's crew members, including the co-pilot's personal information and citizenship, had been transferred before takeoff to the Tax Authority's National Passenger Data Analysis Center, but the Transportation Ministry claimed it had not received the crew list. According to reports cited in the appeal, data on crew members aboard foreign flights had not been retrieved or checked for approximately two years. The appeal also pointed to warnings issued before the incident, including a 2024 State Comptroller recommendation to regulate responsibility for aviation security. The Movement for Quality Government argued that the National Security Council review ordered by the prime minister was insufficient given the severity of the failures. Attorney Dr. Eliad Shraga, chairman of the movement, said: "The security of passengers must not depend on the bravery of those sitting next to them on the plane."