Fast Draw – Terror Threats Against Civil Aviation

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The disappearance of the Malaysian airline’s passenger plane is still a mystery. The 777 Boeing apparently vanished into thin air. It’s clear that the cause wasn’t a simple technical error but a terror attack. The details are still unknown, however, and there’s no way to reach a clear conclusion.

Despite that, there is one conclusion that can be reached, and could have been reached a long time ago: Over the last few years global airline security has been winding down. Extensive background checks for crew members are conducted only partially, entry permits into sterile airport areas are given almost without serious security checks, cockpit doors aren’t always locked throughout the flight, and that’s only a parial list. Some countries, like Israel, are more serious than others as far as security is concerned.

As long as the cause of the disappearance is unclear we can’t point fingers at a specific vulnerability, but it’s a good opportunity to highlight the problem in general.

Civil aviation presents a tempting target to terrorists of all kinds, but despite this there are many holes in the security envelope. Eventually the fate of the Malaysian flight will be discovered, but we don’t have to wait in order to raise the level of aviation security. It’s expensive, it’s inconvenient, but that’s a price we have to pay when facing the increasingly dangerous threats.

IHLS – Israel Homeland Security

Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon expressed what many people believe – over the weekend he said that the negotiations with the Palestinians are a waste of time. There is no partner and there won’t be an agreement.

It’s strange that Israel continues to play this game despite Ya’alon acknowledging the fact. Jerusalem will be blamed for any failure no matter what, they’ll still keep pressuring Israel to release murderers for nothing.

Ya’alon said what Prime Minister Netanyahu should have said a long time ago – there will be no peace with the Palestinians because they don’t want peace. They dream of going back to Jaffa, Ramla and Tsfat. Unless that happens they’ll never agree to anything substantial.

This is why this game, referred to as the “peace talks,” is nothing but a huge farce. The Defense Minister was correct. I wonder if Minister Tsippi Livni will continue her useless meetings with the Palestinian delegation. I believe so, because our government includes too many elements, each with their own interests. Practiacally several governments rolled up into one.

Israel will go on making a fool of herself if the bad joke is allowed to continue, even after the Defense Minister’s very clear message.