In mid-2025, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu unequivocally placed responsibility for the security of foreign airlines flying to Israel with the Transportation Ministry and its Security Division. Behind the scenes, however, officials in the division strongly opposed the move, arguing they lacked the necessary tools, authority and budget.
Despite those concerns, no one raised a formal alarm. Neither the security agencies nor the ministry’s Security Division intervened, and the division did not approach the security services for assistance.
Transportation Minister Miri Regev; flydubai airliner
(Photo: Itay Blumental, Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
According to a report aired Sunday morning by Army Radio, the Shin Bet relinquished responsibility for securing foreign flights in 2021, while the Transportation Ministry failed to assume that responsibility in practice. The State Comptroller reportedly pointed to the issue in a classified May 2024 report that remains under gag order.
The comptroller’s report prompted the security cabinet in May 2024 to order the National Security Council to establish a team with the Transportation Ministry, Civil Aviation Authority, Shin Bet, Mossad and Finance Ministry to examine the security framework for civil aviation to Israel.
The National Security Council conducted a year-long review, during which disagreements emerged within the Transportation Ministry. The NSC and Shin Bet pushed for the ministry to assume responsibility, a position also supported by Civil Aviation Authority Director Shmuel Zakai.
But according to the Army Radio report, Transportation Ministry Security Division chief Avri Cohen argued in internal discussions that the responsibility was too heavy and that the issue was beyond the division’s capabilities, voicing his objections to Zakai.
“During the discussions, a scenario was raised in which all it would take was for a Syrian migrant who had moved to Britain to board a plane. He would look British, not Syrian, and we would not know,” a source familiar with the discussions was quoted as saying.
“There were major blowups, confrontations and strongly worded letters, but Regev, Director-General Ben Zaken and the head of the Civil Aviation Authority did not listen,” the source said.
In mid-2025, Netanyahu ultimately ruled that responsibility would be transferred to the Transportation Ministry and its Security Division.
A year and a half later, according to the report, no one has approached the security agencies to request assistance. The Shin Bet and Mossad, for their part, have not expanded their responsibilities or offered such assistance.