El Al Hijacking Attempts in 1969 and 1970 Foiled by Heroic Acts

The article recounts two foiled hijacking attempts against El Al flights in 1969 and 1970, drawing parallels to a recent incident on a Flydubai flight. These historical events, which occurred over 50 years ago, highlight Israeli courage and determination in combating terrorism.

The first incident, on February 18, 1969, involved Flight 432 preparing for takeoff from Zurich, Switzerland. Four Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) terrorists attacked the plane with Kalashnikov rifles and grenades, injuring one pilot fatally and five others. Mordechai Rachamim, an undercover El Al security guard and former Sayeret Matkal commando, immediately responded. He fired at the attackers from the cockpit and then engaged them outside the aircraft after exiting via an emergency slide. Rachamim killed the squad leader and fought the remaining terrorists until Swiss security forces arrived, preventing a major disaster. He was tried alongside the terrorists, marking the first public acknowledgment of Israeli security guards on El Al flights. Rachamim received a commendation from then-IDF Chief of Staff Chaim Bar-Lev for his bravery.

The second incident, on September 3, 1970, involved Flight 219 shortly after takeoff. Two hijackers, armed with a pistol and grenades they had smuggled aboard, rushed the cockpit. Shlomo Weider, the flight's chief purser and a former commando, confronted the armed hijacker bare-handed. Despite being shot multiple times, Weider held on, delaying the hijackers and giving the pilot, Uri Bar-Lev, crucial time. Bar-Lev took a drastic measure, diving the Boeing aircraft sharply to disorient the hijackers. This maneuver caused them to lose balance and hit the ceiling and floor. El Al's sky marshal, Moti Bar-Levav, then neutralized one hijacker, while two passengers subdued Leila Khaled. Weider, critically wounded, was saved by an emergency landing in London. He later received the Medal of Courage for his actions.

These stories of Mordechai Rachamim, Uri Bar-Lev, Moti Bar-Levav, and Shlomo Weider, along with the two passengers, are often overlooked but represent the essence of the Israeli spirit in fighting terror: a refusal to be passive victims, coupled with audacity, resourcefulness, and courage. El Al's implementation of reinforced cockpit doors in the early 1970s, a pioneering security measure, is credited with preventing any further Israeli aircraft hijackings since the 1970 incident. The article concludes by emphasizing that, similar to the recent Flydubai incident, Israelis do not wait to be rescued but take action themselves.