President Herzog Criticized for Premature Praise of Flydubai Passengers

The article criticizes Israeli President Yitzhak Herzog for quickly recommending a heroism award to passengers of a Flydubai flight without first identifying the individual who first recognized the danger in the cockpit. The author suggests Herzog should have waited for the initial investigation to conclude, implying a competition with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been actively promoting the passengers' bravery. The Mossad is reportedly working around the clock to investigate the incident, which is described as an extreme event that narrowly avoided a major disaster. Cooperation with the UAE is noted as strong, with a past Mossad operation preventing an Emirates plane from being bombed in Australia. The author calls for a thorough investigation into intelligence circles surrounding passengers and flight crews, as well as a review of the Ministry of Transportation's security department, which is deemed to have failed in this instance due to insufficient oversight.

The article also touches upon the IDF's efforts to improve its public relations during the war with Hamas, commending the military for countering accusations against its soldiers. However, it shifts to a personal anecdote about the author's son, who was allegedly affected by a decision from the commander of the 401st Armored Brigade. The author criticizes the brigade commander, identified as Colonel Schneider, for revoking leave days from soldiers about to be released from service, suggesting this decision, supported by Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, will leave soldiers with a negative feeling about their service and harm the IDF's long-term ability to win wars.