Smotrich: Anyone Who Attempted to Murder Israelis Must Pay the Ultimate Price
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich declared that those behind the attempted hijacking of a FlyDubai plane carrying Israelis must face full accountability, following passengers' heroic intervention.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich responded on Wednesday to the dramatic attempted hijacking of a FlyDubai flight en route to Israel and the passengers' heroic intervention before the plane was brought down. "The State of Israel must focus on intent rather than just the outcome," Smotrich stated.
"Anyone who attempted to crash a plane and murder 180 Israelis must pay the ultimate price as if they succeeded, along with any state or terrorist organization that dispatched them," Smotrich wrote on social media. "We offer our profound gratitude to the Almighty for this great miracle of deliverance. Yet our duty remains clear: to pursue our enemies and destroy them."
The extraordinary incident occurred earlier today aboard FlyDubai flight FZ1073, which departed from Dubai bound for Ben Gurion Airport. During the flight, a hijacking attempt took place, forcing the aircraft to deviate from its course and make an emergency landing at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia. According to the airline, the plane landed safely, and all passengers and crew members are secure.
Reports indicate that passengers aboard the flight moved quickly to subdue the suspect and thwart the attack. Following the emergency landing in Tabuk, local authorities initiated an investigation, while FlyDubai announced it is cooperating fully with relevant agencies.
