Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a security review of international flights to Israel on Sunday, after an attempt by an Omani co-pilot to crash an Israel-bound plane from Dubai.
Transport Minister Miri Regev rejected responsibility for the failure, saying security oversight for flights operated by foreign airlines falls under the remit of the Mossad and Shin Bet, Israel’s foreign and domestic intelligence agencies.
Netanyahu “has instructed the head of the National Security Council, Shmuel Ben Ezra, to appoint an examiner to conduct a thorough review of all security aspects of foreign civil aviation to Israel”, a statement from the premier’s office said.
“You are responsible for the security of foreign companies. Not the Shin Bet, not Mossad. You. That’s what the government decided, and that’s what the law stipulates,” Terner wrote on X.
A 2024 report by the state comptroller found there was no clear division of responsibility for the security of foreign airlines operating in Israel, and recommended that the government address the issue.
Keren Terner, who previously served as director-general of the transport ministry and is now running for parliament for the opposition, blamed Regev for the security failure, noting that the Civil Aviation Authority was under the “direct subordination” of her ministry. Gadi Eisenkot, a leading challenger to Netanyahu ahead of the October 27 election, wrote on X that “in a proper and functioning government, the minister of transportation would have submitted a letter of resignation last night”.
