On May 28, 2024, an Omani co‑pilot aboard a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv tried to commandeer the aircraft, prompting an emergency response that prevented a crash.
The incident is the latest in a series of security breaches that Israeli officials say have been flagged for years. Internal documents revealed in 2021 that the security cabinet had shifted responsibility for vetting foreign pilots from Shin Bet to the Civil Aviation Authority, a move that critics argue left a gap in oversight.
A classified 2024 state comptroller report confirmed that the Ministry had failed to meet its obligations, and a May 2024 directive ordered a joint task force of the Ministry, Shin Bet, Mossad, and the Finance Ministry to review the framework within 90 days.
Miri Regev has denied responsibility, telling Kan that the ministry lacks the manpower and budget to conduct background checks and that security officials, not the transport ministry, are tasked with threat assessment.
Opposition figures Keren Terner and Gadi Eisenkot have called for Regev's resignation, arguing that the Civil Aviation Authority falls directly under her purview. They have urged a parliamentary vote to remove her and an investigative committee to probe the failures.
The cabinet review team is slated to submit its findings by July 15, and the Knesset is expected to schedule a vote on Regev's resignation within the next two weeks.