<p>An attempted hijacking of a Flydubai plane carrying Israeli citizens has become a significant issue in Israeli politics. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed credit for alerting the opposition to the threat, while his rivals accused him of exploiting the situation for campaign purposes.</p>
<p>A pilot identified as an Omani national allegedly stabbed his co-pilot while flying the plane on Wednesday morning. Netanyahu stated that the pilot intended to crash the aircraft. Passengers and crew members intervened, preventing the hijacking, and the plane safely landed in Saudi Arabia.</p>
<p>Typically, such incidents might unify Israeli politicians in the face of external threats, but this situation has intensified the ongoing conflict between Netanyahu and his opposition, with both sides accusing each other of neglecting national security and politicizing the event.</p>
<h2>Netanyahu’s Initial Warning</h2>
<p>Netanyahu released a video on Tuesday warning of a planned attack ahead of the national election, leading to questions and accusations from political rivals. In the video, filmed at Tel Nof Air Force Base, he cautioned Israel’s enemies against executing an unspecified attack believed to be planned before the Knesset election on October 27.</p>
<p>“There are signs that leading up to the elections, our enemies will try to attack us,” Netanyahu stated. The warning surprised opposition leaders, with Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar Party questioning the authenticity of the threat and suggesting it was a political maneuver.</p>
<p>After some delay, a meeting was held between Netanyahu and Yair Lapid, the leader of the opposition. Lapid criticized Netanyahu’s warning as unfounded and unnecessary, asserting that there was no reason to incite public panic.</p>
<p>“Without going into details, the IDF, Shin Bet, and the police are prepared for the elections, and there is no reason to put the public into a panic,” Lapid said. Opinion polls indicate that Netanyahu’s coalition and Eisenkot’s coalition are closely matched ahead of the elections, which are seen as a referendum on Netanyahu’s leadership.</p>
<p>Despite internal conflicts, both Netanyahu and his opposition have struggled to present a unified front. The structure of Knesset elections allows smaller parties to play a significant role in determining the outcome.</p>
<h2>Aftermath of the Flydubai Incident</h2>
<p>Netanyahu praised the passengers and crew who intervened during the hijacking in his first address following the incident, noting that Saudi authorities were interrogating the pilots involved. He described the situation as an “extremely serious security incident.”</p>
<p>Following the incident, Lapid reiterated that the security briefing he received did not mention any hijacking, accusing Netanyahu’s camp of engaging in “cheap politics.”</p>
<p>Defense Minister Israel Katz supported Netanyahu, criticizing former officials for not taking security warnings seriously. Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar compared Lapid’s dismissal of the security meeting to the days leading up to the October 7, 2023, terror attacks.</p>
<p>Netanyahu has faced allegations of prior knowledge of an imminent attack before the October 7 events without taking adequate measures to protect citizens.</p>
<p>All passengers from the Flydubai flight landed safely at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel on Wednesday afternoon, leading to celebrations. However, some party leaders expressed dissatisfaction with Netanyahu’s handling of the incident. Lapid accused Netanyahu of attempting to capitalize on the heroism of those who intervened during the hijacking.</p>
<p>Yair Golan, leader of the Democrats, criticized the Netanyahu government for using Hamas terrorism as a political tool for re-election. He commended the courage of the passengers and crew while condemning the government’s attempts to gain political advantage from the incident.</p>
<p><em>Brady Knox contributed to this report.</em></p>