Netanyahu accused of politicising flydubai crash to link Iran ahead of election
A source close to the UAE says Israel is using the recent flydubai crash to push a political narrative linking the incident to Iran and to delay the airline's return to service.
A UAE-government source alleges that Israel is exploiting the flydubai crash to advance a political agenda, specifically to associate the event with Iran ahead of upcoming elections. The source says Netanyahu’s administration is postponing the resumption of flydubai services while organising substitute flights with Arkia and Israir. Emirati authorities have requested a cargo plane to accompany passenger flights for luggage transport and are probing a suspected Omani co-pilot involved in the incident.
The source also points out that Etihad is running eight flights to Abu Dhabi under heightened security, a protocol that could be applied to flydubai. Critics argue Israel’s label of “rescue flights” misleads the public into believing the UAE faces a war-like emergency, and they accuse the Israeli government of prolonging the crisis for political gain.
Why it matters
The dispute highlights how regional crises can be leveraged for domestic political advantage, affecting airline operations and diplomatic relations.
How this story developed
- Sep 30 Netanyahu hails Indian pilot who thwarted alleged flydubai sabotage
- Oct 1 U.S. President Donald Trump publicly praised the Indian pilot.
- Oct 1 Israel’s transport minister ordered a six‑day suspension of Flydubai flights to Israel and Emirates halted code‑share operations on those routes.
- Oct 1 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed the second pilot who stabbed the captain on a Fly Dubai flight had undergone Islamist radicalisation.
- Oct 1 El Al, Israir and Arkia have asked Israeli security officials to allow them to resume scheduled flights to Dubai following a violent incident on a flydubai plane.
- Oct 1 The Saudi interior ministry said its initial probe indicates the co-pilot on the Dubai‑to‑Tel Aviv flight assaulted the captain.
- Oct 2 The suspect was transferred to United Arab Emirates authorities.
- Oct 2 A UAE official called the mid-air incident on flydubai flight FZ1073 a terrorist act and praised Indian pilot Smit Machchhar for safely landing the aircraft after a co-pilot attack.
- Oct 2 Modi praised Machchhar for averting disaster.
- Oct 2 Israeli carriers have formally requested clearance to restart Dubai routes.
- Oct 3 Co‑pilot identified as Hamam al Hamami, an Omani national previously barred by Oman over extremist concerns.
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