Israel’s Transportation Ministry is facing allegations that it failed to carry out required security oversight of foreign flights despite repeated warnings, intensifying scrutiny after the attack aboard an Israel-bound flydubai aircraft. The ministry disputes the allegations and says it lacks the intelligence capabilities to investigate foreign crews.

According to Army Radio, citing internal National Security Council documents, concerns stretch back to 2021. A classified state comptroller report reportedly identified shortcomings in 2024, and the National Security Council warned again in March 2025 that the ministry was not fulfilling its responsibilities. Discussions over how to address the problem exposed disagreements about which agency should perform the checks and who would provide the resources.

The report said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu assigned responsibility for foreign-flight security to the Transportation Ministry in 2025 despite internal objections over inadequate staffing, funding and capabilities. Ministry security chief Avri Cohen reportedly warned that the assignment exceeded his division’s capacity. Nevertheless, the ministry allegedly made no requests for assistance checking individual passengers or crew members, while the Shin Bet and Mossad did not step in to cover the gap. Separately, regional officials told The Associated Press that Emirati authorities had provided Israel with the flight’s passenger and crew details, including nationalities, before departure. They said Israel raised no concerns. Emirati authorities say the Omani co-pilot attacked the captain with a cockpit emergency axe during Wednesday’s flight, before the captain opened the cockpit door and others intervened to subdue the attacker.

The Transportation Ministry rejected the reporting, saying it confused foreign airlines’ flights with flights chartered by Israeli carriers. It maintained that its responsibilities for foreign aviation date back decades, while the more recent changes concerned chartered flights. The ministry also said its procedures had been approved by security authorities and relied on screening in departure countries, additional Israeli requirements and airline commitments—not intelligence background investigations conducted by ministry staff.

Regarding flydubai, the ministry said the airline had committed in writing to conducting crew background checks and incorporating nationality restrictions into its scheduling system. It maintained that it never received the crew list for Flight FZ1073 and that its security division lacked access to flight lists. However, Israel’s Tax Authority confirmed receiving the information. Whether that information reached the Transportation Ministry remains unresolved.

A special Knesset intelligence subcommittee meeting is reportedly scheduled for Tuesday, October 6, with representatives of the Transportation Ministry, National Security Council, Shin Bet and Mossad expected to attend.