Flights to Israel buckle up amid Hezbollah threats
ERUSALEM, Feb 22 (Reuters) - Israel is requiring that passengers on all incoming flights be confined to their seats in the half-hour before landing as part of heightened precautions against hijacking, aviation security sources said on Friday.
They said the Transport Ministry order, issued to local and foreign airlines on Wednesday, cited threats by Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas to avenge the Feb. 12 assassination of their operations chief by waging "open war" against the Jewish state.
the Jewish state. "Our new policy is that planes lock their flight-deck doors and activate the 'please fasten seat belts' signs when 180 miles (290 km) away from Israel," one Israeli security source said.
Israel issues hijack alert to all incoming airlines
The transportation ministry officials explained that the new decree has been issued in light of fears that terrorists might succeed in infiltrating a plane, and attempt to take control over the aircraft only in the final stage of the flight, after it has reached Israeli airspace.
A hijacking at this stage would make it difficult for security forces to respond in time to curb the attack, the report said.
"It takes several minutes to deploy fighter jets towards a hijacked plane. Therefore, the final stage of the flight is extremely crucial," an aviation security expert said.
Israeli airlines are very secure, don’t depend on the host country for their security.