U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee has rejected reports that Israelis could lose visa-free access to the United States following the attempted terrorist attack aboard a flydubai flight. His intervention followed warnings that failures to screen foreign aircrew could put Israel’s compliance with American security requirements under scrutiny.

“There is no change to the visa waiver for Israelis flying to the United States,” Huckabee said, according to Channel 14’s reporting. The statement pushes back against suggestions that the travel benefit is in immediate jeopardy, while the aviation-security failures remain the subject of investigations.

The concern surfaced after Channel 12 reported that an American delegation examining aviation security in the United Arab Emirates was expected to visit Israel to assess compliance with the Visa Waiver Program. Separately, a source familiar with the matter told Walla, in reporting carried by The Jerusalem Post, that Israel could face scrutiny over whether it properly receives and reviews information about arriving passengers and aircrew. A senior State Department official initially declined to comment on possible future actions. Neither report announced a decision to suspend Israel’s participation.

The controversy stems from flydubai Flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv. Omani copilot Hamam al-Hammami is accused of attacking Capt. Smit Machchhar with an emergency ax and attempting to crash the aircraft. Israeli passengers and crew intervened, and the plane landed safely in Saudi Arabia. The attack turned the question of who checks foreign pilots into an urgent national-security issue.

The reported failures extend beyond one flight. Roughly 1,240 aircrew members from countries described as hostile entered Israel over the previous year. The Wall Street Journal separately reported that al-Hammami had previously been grounded in Oman over extremist behavior, but those warnings were not shared with the broader aviation-security system.

Israeli authorities also face questions about earlier opportunities to tighten oversight. The Transportation Ministry had rejected offers of security assistance. The ministry said additional funding it requested had not been provided. Transportation Minister Miri Regev is now seeking NIS 40 million and 10 additional staff positions for oversight of charter flights, according to Channel 12.

Regev has also reportedly proposed a special aviation-entry authorization requiring advance approval for arriving passengers and crew, with additional intelligence screening for people from countries designated high-risk. That remains a proposal, not an implemented requirement; officials cited concerns that other countries could impose similar restrictions on Israelis.

Israel joined the U.S. Visa Waiver Program in 2023. Eligible Israelis with qualifying biometric passports and approved ESTA authorization can travel for tourism or business for up to 90 days without obtaining a conventional visa. Huckabee’s latest position is that this arrangement remains unchanged. The immediate challenge is closing the security gaps exposed by the attack, not an announced cancellation of visa-free travel.