Tel Aviv (Monitoring Desk) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is presenting an incident on a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Israel as a security issue in his election campaign, while the opposition has also raised questions about his position.
According to a report by The Irish Times, the incident occurred on September 30 when the co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain, after which the aircraft made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. The situation was brought under control after passengers and crew intervened.
According to the report, elections are scheduled to be held in Israel on October 27, and following the incident, Netanyahu linked it to his position regarding security threats. His supporters also connected the incident to a security warning he had issued earlier.
On the other hand, opposition leader Yair Lapid objected to Netanyahu’s position, saying that no such threat involving an aircraft had been mentioned in the security briefing given by the prime minister.
The report also discussed the political difficulties facing Netanyahu, while his government has faced intense political criticism over the Hamas attack in October 2023 and the war in Gaza.
The motives behind the incident remain unclear. Israeli officials have alleged that the co-pilot held extremist views, but investigations are ongoing and no final conclusion has been reached.
According to The Irish Times, the incident has also raised questions in Israel about the security screening procedures for foreign pilots, while the relevant authorities are conducting further investigations.