Channel 12 interviews hoaxer posing as passenger aboard flydubai flight to Tel Aviv

A man appeared on a live Channel 12 News broadcast on Wednesday, posing as a passenger who had been aboard the plane involved in a reported attempted hijacking. During an interview with reporter Tamir Steinman, he claimed that "the plane started going up and down," and that a passenger on board shouted "Allahu Akbar."

The hoaxer continued describing the alleged dramatic moments on the flight, saying passengers feared something had happened to the pilot and that the aircraft could crash. "We had no understanding of what was happening up front. There was insane pressure," he said.

As the conversation continued, however, his story began to raise doubts. The prank became clearer when he was asked who he was with. "I’m here with my brother Nevo," he said, before adding: "It’s short for Nebuchadnezzar."

At that point, it became obvious that the caller was not an actual passenger on the plane. The incident occurred amid heightened reports surrounding the flight and highlighted how, even during a live broadcast of a security incident, false information can make it onto the air.

Hoaxer's friend warned Channel 14 about the antics, so he went to Channel 12 instead

According to a post published afterward by one of the hoaxer’s friends, the incident was a preplanned attempt to "troll media systems in Israel." The friend claimed that he had warned Channel 14 staff about the impersonation attempt, but that the hoaxer simultaneously contacted Channel 12 News researchers, passed the screening process, and went on air within minutes.

The post claimed that during the interview, the hoaxer provided false details, invented names for himself and his brother, and claimed that both were on the flight. It also claimed that no one on the production team stopped the interview in time and that the hoaxer ultimately ended the conversation after feeling the prank had "already become too embarrassing."

The post’s author sharply criticized Channel 12 News’ handling of the incident, calling it "journalistic clownery." He claimed that the fact that the hoaxer managed to pass screening and remain on air for several minutes demonstrated a failure to verify the identities and credibility of interviewees during a developing event.

The incident quickly became a subject of jokes on social media, but it also raised broader questions about the process of verifying real-time testimonies, particularly during sensitive security incidents in which false information can spread within minutes. Channel 12 News declined to comment.