Israeli President Honors Passengers Who Thwarted Hijacking

President Isaac Herzog presented the "Civilian Medal of Courage" to six passengers of Flydubai Flight 1073 for their bravery in overpowering a co-pilot who attempted to crash the plane. The passengers, Yeniv Hayun, Dr. Shota Musayev, Zvika Mans, Tali Mans, Assaf Rejwan, and Or Bardilov, are credited with preventing a major disaster. President Herzog praised their courage and resourcefulness, stating that while their actions were heroic, they do not negate the need for full answers regarding the security failures that allowed the incident to occur.

During the ceremony, Herzog recounted the harrowing events, emphasizing the passengers' split-second decisions and instinctual actions. He highlighted how Tali Mans first alerted others, while Yeniv Hayun, Zvika Mans, Assaf Rejwan, and Or Bardilov physically subdued the attacker in the cockpit. Dr. Shota Musayev provided crucial medical aid to the injured pilot, Captain Smith Machaher, who also bravely fought the attacker despite his injuries. The collective actions of the passengers and crew led to the safe emergency landing of the aircraft with 174 people on board.

President Herzog also extended his gratitude to the Indian flight crew and other passengers who assisted, promising to honor Captain Machaher with the same medal. He described the incident as a testament to the "Israeli spirit", characterized by courage, resourcefulness, and a commitment to action in times of danger, transcending any political or social divides. He drew parallels to the resilience shown by Israeli society since the October 7th attacks, emphasizing mutual responsibility and the choice of life in the face of extreme threats.

In related developments, Flydubai has reportedly completed its investigation into the incident, dismissing a significant number of employees and seeking to resume flights to Tel Aviv. However, Israeli Transportation Minister Miri Regev and the Civil Aviation Authority have refused this request. Israel is implementing new security measures for foreign nationals entering the country, including a mandatory online form and enhanced visa checks by the Population and Immigration Authority, Shin Bet, and Mossad. The investigation in the UAE confirmed that the foreign pilots did not cooperate with the attacker. It was also revealed that the attacker, Mamam Al-Hamami, had a history of expressing anti-Israel sentiments and had planned the attack before being hired by Flydubai, even considering a similar attack on a previous flight to Tel Aviv.

Further investigations uncovered a significant lapse in Israel's Ministry of Transport's security vetting system. An Israeli company had previously identified and disqualified Al-Hamami due to his anti-Israel statements, but the Ministry of Transport claimed its database was in a pilot phase and inaccessible, a claim disputed by the Tax Authority, which stated the database is active and used by all relevant bodies.