Flydubai Tel Aviv hijack attempt prompts Miri Regev resignation calls
A recent flydubai flight to Tel Aviv took a scary turn when the Omani co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami tried to hijack the plane and reportedly attacked the captain.
The incident has sparked big questions about how well Israel is protecting its skies, with opposition leaders now calling for Transport Minister Miri Regev to step down over alleged failures in checking foreign pilots and flights.
Civil Aviation Authority lacked security resources
The CAA was assigned oversight in 2021, but a full transfer of security responsibility to the Transportation Ministry was directed in 2025.
Critics say this lack of resources led to serious lapses, letting pilots from countries without diplomatic ties fly into Tel Aviv.
As former director-general of the transport ministry Keren Terner put it, "You are responsible for the security of foreign companies. Not the Shin Bet, not Mossad. You. That's what the government decided, and that's what the law stipulates."
Now, there are growing calls to overhaul aviation security rules and tighten up oversight.