Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday ordered a comprehensive review of security arrangements for foreign civilian flights to Israel following an attempted cockpit takeover on a Flydubai flight from Dubai.
Netanyahu instructed National Security Council chief Shmuel Ben Ezra to appoint an examiner to review “all security aspects” of foreign civil aviation to Israel.
The move follows concerns over how the Omani co-pilot, who had reportedly been barred from flying by Oman over extremist views, was able to board an Israel-bound flight despite Oman having no diplomatic relations with Israel.
The UAE, which is leading the investigation, said the co-pilot attacked the captain with a cockpit crash axe and attempted to take control of the aircraft in what it described as a terrorist attack.
The flight was carrying 182 people and nearly crashed before the Indian captain opened the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to overpower the attacker.
The co-pilot, Hammam al-Hammami, allegedly told UAE investigators that he planned to continue the flight normally, secure landing clearance and then crash into a building or aircraft at Ben Gurion Airport.
He had visited the airport several times, including in June to gather intelligence, and had previously planned an attack in July but cancelled it because he was friends with a crew member.
Meanwhile, UAE authorities shared passenger and crew details with Israel as questions over security lapses intensified.
A preliminary Israeli probe found Hammami acted alone. A Netanyahu official defended the review as necessary to identify and correct security gaps.
