Passengers Thwart Hijacking; Netanyahu's Warnings Under Scrutiny

An El Al flight from the UAE to Israel was hijacked and diverted to Saudi Arabia, but was resolved peacefully thanks to the intervention of five passengers who subdued the hijacker. The incident occurred as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had warned of potential attacks by enemies ahead of elections. The passengers, including 27 children, were unharmed, though one passenger had sent farewell messages to her parents.

The operation to resolve the hijacking, dubbed "Operation Benjamin," has drawn political controversy. Opposition Chairman Yair Lapid claimed that the hijacking was not mentioned in security briefings given to him by Netanyahu, a statement disputed by a political source who asserted that the military secretariat had informed Lapid of heightened threats. The article questions whether Netanyahu's "worrying signs" referred to the hijacking and criticizes the lack of stringent security measures if intelligence warnings were indeed received.

Further controversy surrounds Netanyahu's recent secret flight to Abu Dhabi to meet with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed. This visit followed reports that bin Zayed had warned Netanyahu of an impending Hamas attack before October 7th, a claim Netanyahu has denied and sought to legally challenge. The UAE confirmed the visit but did not provide the specific denial Netanyahu reportedly sought.

The article highlights a pattern of denials from Netanyahu's office regarding various warnings, including those from Egyptian intelligence officials prior to the October 7th attacks. It calls for individuals who were privy to these discussions, such as former Military Secretary Avi Gill and outgoing Shin Bet Chief Ronen Bar, to speak out and clarify the events, suggesting their silence is a greater concern than external threats.