This number takes on an entirely different meaning after the attempted hijacking: More than 1,200 airline crew members from countries without diplomatic relations with Israel have entered the country since the beginning of the year – including crew from Syria, Lebanon and Oman.

The figure, reported Tuesday by Kan News, emerged days after the attempted hijacking of a Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv – and particularly after it was revealed that the Omani pilot at the center of the affair had previously raised concerns in his home country.

Imam Al-Hamami was not a pilot who suddenly appeared out of nowhere. According to reports, authorities in Oman had already noticed his online activity and concluded that he was showing excessive interest in radical ideology. The concern was serious enough that he was not allowed to continue working as a pilot for the national carrier, Oman Air.