Israel's Protocol for Hijacked Planes Detailed After Flydubai Incident

An incident involving a Flydubai flight that transmitted a hijacking code concluded safely when the aircraft landed in Saudi Arabia with over 170 passengers. The flight had triggered a response from the Israeli Air Force, with fighter jets scrambled and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz convening an urgent meeting. Initial assessments suggest one pilot intended to crash the plane, but the co-pilot, with passenger assistance, regained control. Israel has been preparing for such scenarios for over two decades, involving the Air Force, Ministry of Transportation, Mossad, and Shin Bet. The protocol begins with verifying the threat, which can be indicated by transponder code 7500 or other signs like intelligence reports, loss of communication, or deviations from the flight path. Israeli monitoring systems can track suspicious aircraft up to 2,000 kilometers away. Efforts are made to rule out technical malfunctions or errors by coordinating with air traffic control in relevant countries.

If suspicion persists, fighter jets are dispatched to visually assess the situation and attempt communication with the crew using pre-established signals. The operation is managed from the Air Force's main command center in Tel Aviv. The goal is not immediate destruction but understanding the situation inside the aircraft. The next step involves diverting the plane from its course and attempting to land it, preferably away from populated areas, with the Air Force commander potentially closing airspace. A special General Staff negotiation team engages if a genuine emergency is confirmed, while intelligence agencies work to identify those on board and their motives.

The situation escalates to the highest political and military leadership if there's a threat of the plane being used as a weapon, such as in a terror attack. The Chief of Staff, heads of Mossad and Shin Bet, and other senior security officials are involved. The Air Force commander briefs the situation and provides recommendations. Intelligence provides gathered information, and leaders may convene at the command center. The most severe scenario, 'level 3,' involves the threat of the plane being deliberately crashed into a target in Israel, similar to the 9/11 attacks. Even then, attempts are made to divert or land the aircraft. Only if the immediate threat persists does the political leadership face the difficult decision of intercepting the plane with passengers still aboard or shooting it down.

The final decision to intercept is typically made by the Prime Minister, ideally before the plane enters Israeli airspace due to the short distance to major population centers. Destroying a passenger plane is a last resort, preceded by a sequence of actions: threat detection, communication, intent assessment, diversion, and attempted landing. If landed, a separate protocol involving isolation, negotiation with hijackers, and hostage rescue is initiated. The Flydubai incident served as a real-world test of this long-standing system, and Israeli authorities are currently investigating the circumstances and the crew's actions.