Fly Dubai Passengers Demand State Aid Amid Trauma

Five days after a terrifying flight from Dubai to Israel, passengers are struggling to return to normalcy, with many still suffering from severe trauma, anxiety, and sleep disturbances. They claim that since landing, they have not received adequate support or psychological assistance from the state and are now calling for authorities to provide the help they need. A Health Ministry official stated that at that time, no passengers required immediate psychological intervention, but they were provided with contact information for national resilience centers and health fund hotlines. Passenger Daniela Elmaliach described ongoing distress, stating, "I barely sleep and barely eat. I feel like I'm reliving the flight all the time. I have a lot of internal anxiety and everything startles me." She added that no one contacted them after landing, leaving them searching for information and support, and expressed frustration that the state had not reached out. The Health Ministry is monitoring the situation and considering further assistance, coordinating with the Education Ministry and National Insurance. However, professionals are debating whether proactive outreach might inadvertently pathologize natural reactions to trauma, such as sleep difficulties and stress, which are common in the immediate aftermath of a traumatic event. Oren Pasharni, another passenger, echoed the sentiment of being abandoned, saying, "Right now, at least, we are alone in the campaign. I feel like we are going through another tragedy besides the tragedy we almost ended at the cost of our lives." He believes the state should have provided support, given the flight was targeted against Israel. The Ministry of Transport stated that under the Montreal Convention, passengers who suffered damage can seek compensation from Fly Dubai. Meanwhile, a closed-door discussion revealed that 1,240 aircrew members from countries without relations with Israel entered the country last year, prompting calls for stricter vetting procedures for foreign aircrews. Minister of Transport Miri Regev has urged the National Security Council to take immediate steps to prevent similar incidents, proposing a one-time flight visa for all foreign aircrew and passengers, to be approved by the Population and Immigration Authority.