Regev moves to halt flydubai flights over pilot's suspected Omani background, source tells 'Post'
Flydubai’s agreement to operate in Israel explicitly states that all pilots must be from countries that have normalized relations with Israel, which does not include Oman.
Transportation Minister Miri Regev has requested the Shin Bet halt all flydubai flights entering and exiting Israel following a suspected attempted hijacking of a commercial passenger aircraft from Dubai to Tel Aviv, a ministry source disclosed to The Jerusalem Post. The decision was made after unverified reports suggested the suspected hijacker may be of Omani origin, which contradicts flydubai's agreement requiring all pilots to be from countries with normalized relations with Israel, a condition flydubai's contract explicitly states.
This breach is considered "a clear breach of the agreement," according to the source. The Post reports that Mossad, Shin Bet, IDF, and the Transport Ministry have launched a joint investigation into the incident, examining if any threat indicators were missed prior to the flight, and why an Omani pilot was allowed to operate the aircraft.
Upon announcing this move, Regev instructed the Israel Airports Authority to establish a waiting and information area in Terminal 1's arrivals hall for the families of passengers on the diverted flydubai flight. Families are invited to this location at Ben-Gurion Airport, where they can receive updates and assistance as the situation unfolds, with Israel Airports Authority representatives present to support them.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
