Lapid: Nothing close to flydubai incident discussed during latest security briefing with Netanyahu

Lapid issued the statement following the incident aboard a Tel Aviv-bound flydubai flight, which was diverted to Saudi Arabia after an apparent attempt by a pilots to seize control of the aircraft.

Opposition leader and former prime minister Yair Lapid said on Wednesday that the suspected attempted hijacking of a flydubai flight carrying over 100 Israeli passengers had not been mentioned, even indirectly, during the security briefing he received from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday night.

“I want to make this clear. Nothing even resembling the aircraft incident this morning appeared in the security briefing with the prime minister last night. Nothing similar, nothing reminiscent of it, not even a hint,” Lapid said.

Lapid issued the statement following the incident aboard a Tel Aviv-bound flydubai flight, which was diverted to Saudi Arabia after an apparent attempt by one of the pilots to seize control of the aircraft.

Israeli officials said a major disaster had been averted, and Israeli passengers were reportedly among those who helped subdue the suspected attacker.

Lapid accused Netanyahu’s political allies and supporters of attempting to connect the incident to warnings the prime minister issued a day earlier about possible attacks on Israel ahead of the Knesset election.

“All the spin the mouthpieces are putting out now only proves what was already clear yesterday: They are once again trying to play cheap politics at the expense of Israel’s security. A reckless bunch,” Lapid said.

Coalition members call for response against potential backers of hijacker

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich was the first member of government to issue a statement, calling for Israel to “address the intent and not the results.”

“Whoever tried to crash a plane and murder 180 Israelis must pay as if he murdered. He and every state or terrorist organization that sent him,” he wrote.

There is currently no evidence suggesting the suspected hijacker had backing from a foreign actor.

“Thank God Almighty for the great miracles and for the Israeli heroes who showed tremendous resourcefulness and saved many lives. Israel’s enemies will pay dearly,” Culture and Sport Minister Miki Zohar added.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir shared a report from C14 that the hijacker had planned to attempt an attack akin to 9/11. This report has not been verified, and the motive of the pilot has not been made clear at this time.

“Israel has done tremendous work over the past two and a half years, but it must not stop and must continue until achieving a complete victory in Iran, Lebanon, Gaza, and Judea and Samaria,” he wrote.

“The naive perception that our enemies value life and should be shown mercy received another reminder this morning in the form of a terrorist who planned to crash a plane and murder the 180 Israelis on board. Terror is an evil that must never be met with any agreement other than defeating it and wiping it off the face of the earth.”