Benjamin Netanyahu orders a review of flight security to Israel after an attempted Flydubai plane crash

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered, on Sunday, a review of the security measures applied to international flights bound for Israel, following the apparent attempt by the copilot of a Flydubai aircraft to crash the plane.

Netanyahu asked the director of the National Security Council, Shmuel Ben Ezra, to appoint someone responsible for a comprehensive analysis of all aspects concerning the security of foreign civil aviation flights to Israel. The decision comes after Wednesday’s incident, when a Flydubai aircraft carrying 174 people, 166 of them Israelis, made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.

According to the Israeli press, the copilot allegedly intended to crash the plane in Israel and had previously made several flights to Tel Aviv for reconnaissance. The incident was averted after passengers intervened.

The government is under pressure over possible lapses in checking the copilot’s background. The opposition called for an investigation, while Yair Lapid described the review announced by Netanyahu as “a sham investigation.” Transport Minister Miri Regev discussed cooperation in the investigation with the ambassador of the United Arab Emirates.