Flydubai co-pilot underwent Islamist indoctrination: Netanyahu

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Flydubai co-pilot underwent Islamist radical indoctrination, Netanyahu says

October 1, 2026

TEL AVIV,— Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that the co-pilot who attempted to crash a passenger plane bound for Israel had gone through Islamist radicalization.

“We know that he underwent Islamist radical indoctrination,” Netanyahu said during an interview with Fox News.

Investigators have not yet determined a motive behind Wednesday’s incident aboard flydubai flight FZ1073, traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv.

Passengers managed to subdue the attacker, and a backup crew landed the aircraft in Saudi Arabia.

During a Fox & Friends appearance, Netanyahu indicated that a clearer picture of any Iran connection should emerge in the coming days.

He stopped short of confirming such a link now, noting that determining whether the attacker coordinated with Tehran or another party remains premature at this stage.

Netanyahu also pointed to signs that the co-pilot planned to die during the attack.

He linked that behavior to the religious radicalization authorities had identified, saying the combination offered investigators a strong early signal.

He cautioned, however, that officials have not reached a definitive conclusion and that the assessment reflects only the information available so far.

Separately, Israel’s three largest airlines said Thursday they plan to restart flights to Dubai following the incident.

Dubai has remained a top destination for Israelis since the UAE signed the Abraham Accords in 2020.

The UAE accounted for 1.5 million passengers, or 8.3% of total traffic through Ben Gurion International Airport in 2025, ranking third behind Greece and the United States.

Flights to the UAE were halted when the war with Iran began in late February. Still, 837,000 passengers, or 7.5% of Ben Gurion’s total traffic, flew there during the first eight months of 2026, with flydubai carrying half of them.

El Al, Israir and Arkia have requested approval from security authorities to resume Dubai routes. El Al said it plans at least two daily flights starting in November, pending government clearance.

Israir said it hopes to operate up to 10 weekly flights between Tel Aviv and Dubai. Arkia said it will restart service once operational and logistical conditions allow.

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