UAE Shared Flight Details with Israel Following Attempted Hijacking of FlyDubai Aircraft

Authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) provided Israel with a list of passengers and crew ahead of a FlyDubai flight where a pilot attempted to seize control of the aircraft, according to regional officials. This incident has raised questions about how the attacker was able to evade detection. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed the head of the National Security Council to review all security aspects regarding foreign civil aviation to Israel. The investigation into the FlyDubai incident is ongoing, revealing significant security lapses. Officials indicated that the Omani co-pilot had been barred from flying by his home country due to concerns about extremist views. It is unclear how the co-pilot, a citizen of Oman, was permitted to operate a flight carrying Israeli passengers to Tel Aviv. The UAE, which is leading the investigation, reported that the co-pilot attacked the flight's captain with an ax and attempted to take control of the aircraft in what has been classified as a terrorist attack. The Indian captain managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers to intervene and subdue the attacker. Emirati authorities shared information about the passengers and crew, including their nationalities, but Israeli officials did not flag any concerns regarding the individuals on board. The Shin Bet, Israel's domestic security agency, stated that the Transportation Ministry is responsible for vetting passenger lists from foreign flights. Transportation Minister Miri Regev indicated that her ministry had not received a list of passengers or any warnings. Sharing passenger lists is standard procedure in aviation, but the head of aviation security at the Transportation Ministry noted that the ministry relies on local security checks and lacks the capacity to conduct thorough checks on every flight. Netanyahu stated that Israel has agreements with foreign carriers to prevent pilots from flying into the country if they are from nations without diplomatic relations with Israel. Australian police are investigating the attacker's possible connections to Australia. The passengers who intervened during the attack have been recognized as heroes in Israel. However, as initial reactions have settled, officials are beginning to scrutinize the security failures that could have led to a disaster. Opposition candidates are using these security lapses to criticize Netanyahu and his administration. Yair Golan, head of the opposition Democrats party, criticized the handling of aviation security, stating that it reflects a systemic failure. It remains uncertain how FlyDubai, an Emirati airline, failed to identify the Omani pilot as a security risk. Philip Baum, a professor of aviation security, noted that background check systems vary by country and that there are limitations on the types of information that can be shared across borders.