Saudi Arabia Blocks Israeli Planes to Retrieve Stranded Passengers
Israeli planes denied entry to Saudi Arabia to rescue Israeli passengers from a diverted flight.
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Saudi Arabia reportedly rejected an Israeli request to allow military planes to retrieve stranded Israeli passengers from a diverted Flydubai flight, according to a report by Reuters. The incident occurred after an attempted hijack on Flydubai Flight FZ1073, which was flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv. The attack was thwarted by passengers, who overpowered the aggressing copilot, leading to an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Thwarted Hijack and Safe Return
The plane, carrying over 170 Israeli passengers, was diverted to Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia following the attack. All passengers were eventually safely returned to Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the passengers’ actions as heroic and met with Yaniv Hayun, who helped subdue the assailant.
Israeli Request Denied by Saudi Arabia
Reuters reported that the Israeli Air Force was preparing to send Super Hercules planes to Saudi Arabia to pick up the passengers. However, the request was denied by Saudi authorities, a nation with which Israel has no diplomatic relations. The Saudi government media office did not respond to a request for comment.
Netanyahu and Ongoing Investigations
Netanyahu stated that it is still too early to determine who was behind the attempted attack and whether Iran was involved. He noted that the attacker is being investigated in Saudi Arabia and may be sent back to the United Arab Emirates, his country of origin. The UAE’s Prosecutor General has also ordered an investigation into the incident to determine its motives and potential links to terrorism.
Political and Diplomatic Context
President Donald Trump has consistently urged Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords and normalize relations with Israel, but the Saudi government has yet to accept the invitation. A senior Saudi official denied reports that Israeli and Saudi officials met during Netanyahu’s recent visit to the UAE.
Source: Breitbart
