Israel Probes Flydubai Pilot Attack, Diplomatic Rift Emerges With UAE

Israeli investigators are examining the actions of a pilot who attempted to crash a Flydubai aircraft, currently treating him as a lone attacker. A key focus of the investigation is whether the pilot intentionally shut down the plane's engines during the incident, according to Channel 12.

The situation has escalated into a diplomatic dispute between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. An Emirati source close to the authorities stated that Abu Dhabi believes Israel is exploiting the incident for political purposes. The source claims Israel's references to "evacuation flights" for its citizens create a false impression of war or a severe crisis.

The UAE representative further asserted that Israel, not the UAE, suspended Flydubai flights, questioning the logic behind this decision and suggesting it is influenced by the upcoming election campaign. The source indicated that the UAE is conducting its own investigation and seeks resolution, while accusing Israel of delaying the process and creating obstacles.

This source also criticized the term "evacuation flights," questioning who is being evacuated and from where. The source noted that while the number of such flights is increasing under strict security protocols, these could also be applied to Flydubai flights. Previously, it was reported that the incident exposed a significant security gap in the screening of foreign flight crews in Israel. While private aviation undergoes thorough vetting, including background checks on pilots, regular passenger flights rely heavily on the trust placed in airlines and the security systems of the countries of origin.