Netanyahu links Flydubai attack to election security warnings

Israel’s election campaign has been jolted by the attempted seizure of a Flydubai flight, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presenting the episode as validation of his pre-election security warnings while opponents accuse him of turning a still-unfolding investigation into political ammunition.

The dispute has intensified as investigators in the United Arab Emirates examine the September 30 attack aboard Flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv. UAE Attorney-General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi said the co-pilot attacked Captain Smit Machchhar with a cockpit crash axe and tried to take control of the aircraft, describing the episode as an attempted terrorist act.

Netanyahu moved quickly to identify himself with the passengers and crew whose intervention prevented disaster, praising Machchhar and the Israelis who forced their way into the cockpit and subdued the attacker. He has also ordered a broad review of security arrangements for foreign commercial flights serving Israel.

The political significance stems partly from Netanyahu’s warning a day before the incident that Israel’s enemies could seek to carry out attacks ahead of the October 27 election. His allies have cited the Flydubai episode as evidence that such warnings should be taken seriously and have sought to reinforce his longstanding claim to be the country’s most reliable guardian on security.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid has challenged that linkage. After receiving a security briefing from Netanyahu before the flight incident, Lapid said nothing resembling the attack had been presented to him and accused government supporters of trying to connect two unrelated matters. The disagreement has turned the aircraft drama into another argument over Netanyahu’s handling of intelligence and public warnings during a closely fought campaign.

The confrontation cuts both ways politically. Netanyahu’s supporters point to the narrow escape as proof that Israel faces unpredictable threats requiring experienced leadership. His opponents argue that the episode raises uncomfortable questions about how an apparently high-risk crew member was permitted to operate a flight to Israel and whether the country’s screening system failed.

Those questions have sharpened after accounts from officials familiar with the investigation indicated that the suspected attacker, Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani citizen, had displayed extremist sympathies before joining Flydubai. Investigators are examining his employment history and whether warning signs were missed or insufficiently shared across borders. No evidence has been established that he acted on behalf of a foreign government or organised terrorist group.

UAE prosecutors have stopped short of announcing a final motive or wider conspiracy. Al Shamsi said investigators were examining the circumstances, motives, possible connections and physical and digital evidence. That leaves important elements unresolved even as Israeli politicians debate the security implications.

The flight’s survival has meanwhile become central to the public narrative. Machchhar, despite being seriously wounded, fought back and managed to open the cockpit door, enabling passengers and crew to intervene. A reserve pilot helped regain control and the Boeing 737 landed safely at Tabuk in north-western Saudi Arabia. Flydubai said all passengers were safe and accounted for.

Flight-tracking data showed the aircraft descending sharply during the struggle. Passengers described chaotic scenes as people moved towards the cockpit, while Israeli authorities credited their intervention and the actions of the flight crew with preventing a catastrophe.

The episode has landed at a sensitive point in an election dominated by security, accountability and the legacy of the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack. Netanyahu has sought throughout the campaign to restore his credentials as a security-focused leader, while rivals have argued that the failures surrounding October 7 remain central to judging his record.

The Flydubai case therefore offers competing political narratives: a successful act of collective resistance that Netanyahu can associate with vigilance, and a possible screening failure that opponents can use to question the security system overseen by his government.