Israeli Airlines Rely on Wet Leases Despite Shin Bet Security Warnings

Israeli airlines Arkia and Israir are operating roughly half of their fleets through wet-leased flights during peak tourist season, raising significant security concerns. According to recent data, up to 70% of Arkia's flights in July 2026 and 56% of Israir's flights were operated via wet leases, meaning thousands of flights departed without an armed Israeli security guard on board.

Unlike standard Israeli flights, wet-leased operations rely on foreign carriers where passenger screening at foreign airports does not meet Israeli profiling standards and relies solely on local airport procedures. Furthermore, security air marshals are not mandatory on these flights.

Shin Bet Warnings and Regulatory Pushback

The Shin Bet has issued repeated warnings over these security gaps, submitting three separate documents to Transportation Minister Miri Regev, the Ministry of Transportation, and the National Security Council (NSC). The security agency noted that the Ministry of Transportation has failed to establish a risk-assessment framework for leasing companies or enforce proper oversight.

Despite Shin Bet recommendations to transfer oversight of wet leases to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Minister Regev rejected the proposal. The policy continues to operate under existing guidelines from the Shin Bet's Ofek directorate.

"The operation of wet-leased aircraft is part of an aviation risk-management policy presented to and approved by the Prime Minister," Israir stated in response, emphasizing that crews undergo vetting and local border control checks.

Arkia similarly defended its operations, stating that its wet-lease partners adhere to strict international standards, including IOSA certifications, and that all crew details are submitted in advance to Israeli security authorities.