The head of Israel’s security agency had raised security concerns about flights from the UAE for months before a pilot attempted to hijack a Flydubai passenger plane travelling to Tel Aviv, according to a report.
uncertain
pilot → raise → report
David Zini, the director of Israel’s Shin Bet, had reportedly clashed with Israeli airlines over restrictions on flights to the UAE, with the agency reasoning that security measures at Emirati airports were insufficient, according to Israel’s N12 News.
uncertain
measures → clash → News
Israeli authorities were concerned with possible missile attacks or attacks at an airport, the outlet reported on Thursday.
asserted
outlet → concern → Thursday
A scenario like Wednesday’s hijacking attempt was “not raised in any discussion”, they said.
asserted
they → raise → discussion
Aviation officials also told i24NEWS early last week that Israeli airlines had been ordered to suspend their flights to the Emirates until at least October 31 amid a row over security checks in Emirati airports.
asserted
airlines → tell → airports
Shin Bet had been seeking additional screening equipment at check-in counters used by Israeli airlines in the UAE, but the Emirati authorities were initially opposed, the outlet reported.
asserted
outlet → seek → UAE
The Israeli government was contacted for comment.
asserted
government → contact → comment
There were already restrictions on El Al, Israir and Arkia flying to the UAE as they did not have the necessary security clearances, N12 reported.
asserted
N12 → be → clearances
El Al announced on 24 September it was suspending flights on the Dubai route until 30 November in accordance with received security guidance.
asserted
it → announce → guidance
Israir and Arkia customers also apparently received cancellation notices.
asserted
customers → receive → notices
But that ban did not apply to foreign airlines, meaning Flydubai could continue to operate 10 daily flights between Tel Aviv and Dubai.
uncertain
Flydubai → apply → Aviv
Following Wednesday’s mid-air drama, Israel suspended Flydubai’s flights to the country for six days.
asserted
Israel → follow → days
N12 reported that the Emirates had subsequently agreed to install additional screening machines.
asserted
Emirates → report → machines
Arkia said on Thursday that it would restart operations with two daily direct flights on the Tel Aviv-Dubai flight subject to obtaining approvals from state and security authorities, the Times of Israel reports.
asserted
Times → say → Israel
And El Al announced it was preparing to resume its route in November, eight months after Israeli companies were banned from operating on the route.
asserted
companies → announce → route
Shin Bet agents were en route to Dubai on Thursday morning in preparation for the repatriation of Israeli passengers stranded in the UAE following the hijacking attempt on board flight FZ1073.
asserted
agents → strand → FZ1073
Israel will be now be organising the return flights for passengers who had been booked onto non-Israeli airlines, the Times of Israel reported.
asserted
Times → organise → Israel
Several unnamed sources told the Jerusalem Post that Shin Bet, Mossad, the IDF and the Transportation Ministry believe the hijacker was a lone wolf, not following instructions from Iran or a terror organisation.
asserted
hijacker → tell → Iran
A joint Israeli security team was reportedly investigating whether the pilot was not properly searched for weapons before boarding the plane.
uncertain
pilot → investigate → plane
Israeli officials said the attacker's motive remained under investigation.
asserted
motive → say → investigation
Flydubai said in a statement that the underlying reasons for the event remained unknown and warned against “premature speculation”.
asserted
reasons → say → speculation
An Israeli official identified the co-pilot as an Omani national.
asserted
official → identify → national
Al Jazeera reported that it was air traffic controllers in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, who picked up the distress call from FZ1073 asking for an emergency landing at 8.44am local time on Wednesday.
asserted
who → report → Wednesday
The plane landed safely at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Tabuk around an hour later.
asserted
plane → land → Tabuk
A person who heard the flight communications with ATC told the Associated Press that the plane was initially turned away by Saudi Arabia and Jordan before it eventually landed in Tabuk.
asserted
it → hear → Tabuk
The person who heard the message spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to speak to the media.
asserted
they → hear → media
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the UAE on Sunday and met with the country’s president, Mohamed bin Zayed.
asserted
Netanyahu → visit → president
Three senior Israeli officials told Reuters the meeting lasted six hours and focused on Iran.
asserted
meeting → tell → Iran
The Aporia
