At least 1,240 airline crew from countries without diplomatic ties to Israel entered in 2026

In a surprising revelation, over 1,200 aviation crew members from countries without diplomatic relations with Israel, including Iran, Syria, Lebanon, and Oman, may have entered the country, according to an N12 News report. The report, which cites the Knesset's Intelligence Subcommittee of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, emerged in the wake of an attempted hijacking of flydubai flight FZ1073 by an Omani co-pilot who attacked the captain with a crash axe.

The report's authors expressed surprise at how these crew members bypassed Israeli border control, with Transportation Ministry representatives admitting they were unaware of the process. An internal security document, titled "Security Directive 2026: Security Measures for Foreign Passenger Flights Entering Israel's Aviation Supervision Area," outlines the Transportation Ministry's responsibility for screening foreign aviation crew members.

However, the document suggests that foreign airlines are ultimately responsible for ensuring crews meet the banned nationalities list, a practice that appears not to be enforced consistently. Israel's Transportation Ministry has also abandoned screening pilots from foreign companies and failed to cross-check crew manifests against the banned nationalities list.