Lapid slams Netanyahu over Fly Dubai security probe

Opposition leader Yair Lapid responded Sunday evening to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision on the Fly Dubai security failure, in which the prime minister ordered the head of the National Security Council (Malal) to conduct a comprehensive review and re-examine all security protocols for foreign civilian aviation to Israel.

"The investigation into the Fly Dubai failure that Netanyahu announced is a garbage investigation," Lapid said. "The chain of failures that preceded the incident could have led to a disaster of historic proportions, and this is how an Israeli prime minister responds?"

"I remind everyone, there is a State Comptroller's report from two years ago that warns about exactly these things," he added. "Just as Netanyahu fled from an inquiry into the October 7 massacre, so he is fleeing now. We will fix this too in our government."

The prime minister's directive to the head of the National Security Council comes after widespread criticism of the Transportation Ministry, following the revelation of the terrorist pilot's identity and his clear religious extremism, which according to reports had led to his removal from two other airlines in the past, even as he flew into Israel without incident in recent months.

According to the Prime Minister's Office, Netanyahu has now determined that "National Security Council head Shmuel Ben Ezra will appoint an investigator who will conduct an in-depth inquiry into civilian aviation security protocols at the Transportation Ministry and all bodies involved in the matter, and will formulate conclusions and corrections."