Thanking the Saudi People: An Israeli Minister Shares a Video of a Nurse Assisting a Passenger on a Flydubai Flight After Landing in Tabuk

Israeli Minister of Culture and Sports, Miki Zohar, published a video of a nurse examining an Israeli passenger on a Flydubai flight after its emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday. The video was posted by the Israeli minister on his page on the platform "X," formerly Twitter, with the comment: "On behalf of the people of Israel, I thank the Saudi people for the warm reception and kindness they showed towards the Israeli passengers who were rescued this morning (Wednesday) so that peace may prevail upon us and all the people of Israel, God willing."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commented to the Afaq News network on Wednesday, stating that the pilot who resisted - on a flight operated by Flydubai that was diverted - after it appeared that another pilot in the cockpit attempted to crash the plane "succeeded in preventing a disaster similar to the September 11, 2001 attacks," referring to the attacks that targeted the United States after elements of the "Al-Qaeda" organization targeted the World Trade Center towers. Netanyahu added: "This is what seems to have been happening regarding the specific motives behind this matter," and he mentioned that he spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump "about this amazing heroic act that prevented a disaster; it would not have been a disaster for Israel alone, but you can imagine how it could have affected the global aviation sector."

He continued: "What distinguishes this incident from other tragic attacks is that the good side triumphed this time." He noted that Israel did not receive any prior warnings or intelligence regarding the incident, and that an investigation is currently underway into the matter.

Israel described the incident as "a terrorist attack attempt," but has not yet announced details regarding the motives of the attacker. The Indian pilot, Smit Machhar, is now viewed as a hero, after he confronted a violent attack launched by his co-pilot and contributed to preventing an attempted hijacking of a Flydubai flight heading to Israel with more than 170 people on board.