High-profile case10/4/2026

Members of Knesset Demanded a Review of Oversight of Foreign Airline Crews

Members of Knesset Efrat Rayten, Naama Lazimi and Ram Ben Barak contacted Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara following the alleged attempted attack on Flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv. They are demanding an urgent review of why information held by the Israeli authorities about the crew did not prevent the assignment of the co-pilot—an Omani citizen—to this flight.

Key facts

•Flight: Flydubai FZ1073, Dubai—Tel Aviv
•Publication date: October 4, 2026
•The request was sent to Gali Baharav-Miara
•There were 174 people on board, including 27 children
•The statute establishing the data center was enacted in 2023
•Requested deadline for the closed meeting: by October 18

What the Members of Knesset Demanded

Rayten and Ben Barak demanded a comprehensive and immediate review of the alleged failures in the security and oversight system for foreign aviation. Lazimi separately contacted the Attorney General, the heads of Mossad and the Israel Security Agency, as well as the head of the National Security Council. She demanded that the findings be presented at a closed meeting of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee by October 18, that a report on correcting the vulnerabilities be submitted within a week, and that a permanent mechanism for overseeing foreign crews be established.

What Information the State Had

Before takeoff, the crew members’ details were transferred to the National Center for Passenger Data Analysis at the Israel Tax Authority. The center was established pursuant to a statute enacted in 2023, and it collects information on passengers and crew members on flights to and from Israel, including names, citizenship and travel document details. The statute permits this information to be used, among other purposes, to prevent terrorism and ensure civil aviation security.

The Dispute Over Responsibility

The Israel Security Agency, Mossad and the police are permitted to use the database units, and the Ministry of Transport can request an assessment or a search of the information contained in it. However, the statute does not explicitly require the ministry’s security unit to check the crew of every foreign flight. The ministry claims that it does not have intelligence tools for screening foreign crew members, that it did not receive the crew list for FZ1073 and that it does not have direct access to flight lists.

What Remains to Be Clarified

The review must determine which agency was required to notice the co-pilot’s citizenship, assess the risk and issue an alert before takeoff. It must also clarify whether the Ministry of Transport used the option provided by statute to routinely request information about foreign crews, and who oversaw Flydubai’s compliance with the requirements for selecting them. The source does not report whether a formal review was opened or whether a decision was made regarding the Members of Knesset’s requests.

Problems Identified in the Past

In May 2024, the State Comptroller recommended reassessing the international aviation security system, including incoming foreign flights, and the division of authority among the relevant agencies. He proposed that the National Security Council prepare recommendations for the prime minister and the Cabinet regarding responsibility and resources, and noted that some regulatory decisions dated back to the 1970s. Substantial portions of the report remained classified for reasons of state security.

What this means for you

For passengers, the significance of the dispute is that state authorities will have to determine who checks the crew data of foreign airlines flying to Israel, and at what stage. If the Members of Knesset’s demands are implemented, a permanent mechanism for such oversight and a clearer division of responsibility may be established. At this stage, the source reports only on the Members of Knesset’s requests, not on any binding decision that has been made.

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