Der'i Links Dubai Plane Incident to Sukkot Rituals
Translated & summarized from Kikar HaShabbat by baba
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Minister Der'i linked a foiled plane hijacking to Sukkot rituals.
- He called the passengers' actions a "great miracle."
- Der'i stated Jewish tradition is the people's true weapon.
- Israeli passengers subdued the attacker on the Dubai flight.
- The President plans to award medals for heroism.
Interior Minister Aryeh Der'i on Thursday linked the recent averted hijacking of a Flydubai plane from Dubai to Israel to the Sukkot holiday rituals, particularly the waving of the lulav and etrog. Speaking at the central Shas party's Sukkot booth, Der'i described the incident, where an Omani co-pilot allegedly stabbed the Indian pilot and Israeli passengers intervened, as a "great miracle."
Der'i quoted a Talmudic passage to emphasize divine control over all spaces, stating that as Israelis waved the four species, "God showed the whole world: there is no place that is not under His control." He further asserted that the Torah, prayer, and commandments are the "weapons" and "Iron Dome" of the Jewish people, not physical arms.
Following the prayers, Der'i announced a special thanksgiving ceremony would be held in the booth, reciting Psalms of praise and thanksgiving with the Torah scroll open. The incident involved an Omani co-pilot allegedly attacking the pilot on a flight from Dubai to Israel, with Israeli passengers subduing the attacker. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu compared the passengers' swift action to preventing a "9/11-scale disaster."
President Isaac Herzog spoke with the four Israeli passengers who acted heroically and announced his intention to recommend them for the "President's Medal for Civilian Heroism" for their courage, resourcefulness, and mutual responsibility.
Read the original at Kikar HaShabbat
