Aviation security concerns in Israel

Security concerns have intensified following an attempted hijacking of a FlyDubai flight traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv. An Omani co-pilot, Hammam Al-Hamami, allegedly confessed to a plot to seize control of the aircraft to crash it into Israel’s Ben Gurion International Airport. The attempt was reportedly thwarted by the Indian captain, Smith Machar.

Investigations into the incident revealed that Al-Hamami had been previously flagged by Omani authorities for radical ideology and extremist activity. Although he had been removed from flying duties at Oman Air and placed in an anti-extremism program, this information was not shared with international authorities, which allowed him to secure employment with FlyDubai.

The incident has highlighted broader vulnerabilities in aviation security. Reports indicate that since the start of 2026, over 1,200 airline crew members from nations lacking diplomatic relations with Israel—such as Syria, Lebanon, and Oman—have entered the country. This has raised questions regarding the effectiveness of screening processes and the ability of the Israeli Ministry of Transport to rigorously verify the backgrounds of foreign aviation personnel.