Attention is turning to the motive behind an incident in which a co-pilot stabbed the captain of an Israel-bound passenger jet, nearly bringing the aircraft down. With no clear motive established, Israeli officials appear to be leaning toward the possibility of a terror attack driven by religious extremism.
According to Reuters and other outlets on Sept. 30 local time, the motive of the co-pilot who went on a rampage aboard flydubai Flight FZ1073, traveling from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates to Tel Aviv, Israel, has yet to be determined. The jet made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia during the incident, and the co-pilot is now under investigation by Saudi authorities. The airline, flydubai, said the cause and motive had not been confirmed and cautioned against premature speculation.
Earlier that day, an Omani co-pilot attacked an Indian captain with a bladed weapon aboard a flydubai Boeing 737 MAX en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv. There were 174 passengers on board, 166 of them Israelis. The jet plunged from 34,000 feet to 17,000 feet in less than a minute. The severely wounded captain opened the cockpit door, allowing three Israeli passengers and a crew member to enter and subdue the co-pilot. Two off-duty pilots traveling as passengers then took over the controls and made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia, averting a major disaster.
The Israeli government appears to be treating terrorism as the likely explanation. Defense Minister Israel Katz described the incident as an "attempted jihadist terror attack," saying that "according to the initial information we have, this terrorist's intention was one thing only — to crash the plane with everyone on board."
A colleague has also said the co-pilot had displayed signs of religious extremism. According to Israel's Channel 16, a flydubai pilot said, "He prayed excessively all day long and even refused to shake hands with women."
Whether outside actors such as Iran were involved is also drawing scrutiny. In an interview with Fox News the same day, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he did not know the exact background but added that the man "clearly hated Israelis." Asked whether there were any indications that Iran had a hand in the incident, he said it was too early to say.
How an Omani co-pilot came to fly an Israel-bound route is also in dispute. According to The Jerusalem Post, flydubai's operating agreement for Israeli routes requires pilots to be from countries that have normalized diplomatic relations with Israel. Oman does not have diplomatic relations with Israel.
How the co-pilot brought a bladed weapon on board also remains unclear. Reuters noted that security screening of pilots has been tightened substantially since the Sept. 11 attacks, and said experts point out that pilots undergo the same screening as passengers and therefore cannot carry knives or firearms onto an aircraft. Israel plans to strengthen identity verification and security vetting for pilots operating flights into the country following the incident.
Some observers expect the incident to become a major factor in Israel's general election set for Oct. 27. Netanyahu has faced criticism over his security record as questions resurface about whether he failed to respond properly to warnings from neighboring countries ahead of Hamas's surprise attack on Oct. 7, 2023, and the governing camp is expected to use the latest incident to turn the tide. Netanyahu recently warned that there were indications enemies were seeking to attack Israel ahead of the election, and his allies argue that those concerns have now materialized.
Meanwhile, praise continues to pour in for Sumeet Machar, the Indian captain who opened the cockpit door despite his severe injuries, allowing passengers and crew to subdue the co-pilot. The Israeli prime minister's office said he had saved the lives of all 174 passengers, including Israeli citizens. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also posted on X, formerly Twitter, calling Machar "a true hero."
