Israel's Protocol for Hijacked Planes Detailed

An incident involving a Flydubai flight, which transmitted a hijack code and was diverted to Saudi Arabia, prompted an urgent consultation between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz, alongside top security officials. The event, though resolved peacefully, is being treated by Israel as a serious security incident. It is believed that one pilot intended to crash the plane, but the other, with passenger assistance, regained control.

For over two decades, the Israeli Air Force, in conjunction with the Ministry of Transportation, Mossad, and Shin Bet, has practiced protocols for dealing with aircraft hijackings and the potential use of planes as weapons. While the full protocol remains classified, key stages include initial distress signals, attempts to divert the aircraft, and, in extreme cases, the decision to shoot it down.

The process begins with identifying a potential hijacking, often signaled by the "7500" transponder code or through intelligence, communication loss, or unusual flight behavior. Air traffic control can monitor suspicious events up to 2,000 kilometers away. Efforts are made to "win" the aircraft, determining if it's a hijacking or a malfunction, by contacting air traffic control in relevant countries.

If suspicion persists, fighter jets are scrambled to intercept and identify the situation. The goal is not immediate destruction but to establish contact and assess the threat. Tactics include visual identification, hand signals between crews, and proximity flights to communicate with the civilian aircraft.

The next step involves attempting to divert the hijacked plane to a landing, preferably away from populated areas, with the Air Force commander potentially closing airspace. If confirmed as a hijacking, a specialized negotiation team is deployed, while intelligence agencies work to identify the perpetrators and their intentions.

Senior officials, including the IDF Chief of Staff, heads of Mossad and Shin Bet, convene if there's a credible threat of the plane being used as a weapon. The Air Force commander presents the aerial situation and recommendations, while intelligence chiefs provide gathered information. The decision-making process can occur at the Air Force's central command center.

The most severe scenario, termed "Level 3" in Air Force protocols, involves the imminent threat of the plane being used to crash into a target in Israel, similar to the 9/11 attacks. Even then, attempts are made to divert or land the aircraft. Only if a real and immediate threat is confirmed does the decision to intercept a civilian airliner with passengers aboard go to the political echelon.

The final decision to shoot down a hijacked aircraft typically rests with the Prime Minister, especially as the plane approaches Israeli airspace. This extreme measure is considered only after all other options, identification, communication, diversion, and landing attempts, have been exhausted. If the plane lands, a separate protocol for hostage situations is initiated.