The first Israeli aircraft was heading to Dubai on Friday to bring home Israelis stranded in the United Arab Emirates following the attempted crash of a Flydubai flight, even as logistical obstacles remained unresolved. An Arkia aircraft departed first, with an Israir plane expected to follow, while Flydubai announced it was suspending all flights to Israel until further notice.
One of the outstanding issues was an Emirati demand that a cargo aircraft accompany the passenger flight to transport passengers’ luggage. Against that backdrop, a source close to the government in Abu Dhabi sharply criticized Israel, accusing it of exploiting the attack for political purposes and delaying the restoration of Flydubai service.
“They are talking about ‘rescue flights’ as though there is a war in the country. There is no war,” the source told ynet. “The feeling in Abu Dhabi is that the elections are running this event, not logic.”
“The one stopping the flights is Israel,” the source said. “If passengers can board an Arkia flight, why not Flydubai?” He argued that Israeli use of the term “rescue flights” created the impression that the UAE was facing a war or emergency. “Rescue from what? From whom? From where?”
According to the source, Etihad is operating eight flights to Abu Dhabi beginning Sunday under a stricter security protocol, and the same procedures could be applied to Flydubai. He said Emirati authorities were conducting their own investigation into the Omani co-pilot suspected of trying to crash Wednesday’s flight and were willing to tighten screening procedures for aircrews.
Mohamed bin Zayed
(Photo: AP)
The source acknowledged that “clearly there was a failure,” but accused Israel of dragging out the crisis despite Emirati cooperation. “We are going crazy over Israel’s behavior. It does not seem that the Israeli government understands what it is doing,” he said.
He also claimed Emirati officials believe Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking to connect the attack to Iran for political reasons ahead of Israel’s election. “The feeling in the Emirates is that everything is being done to drag this out because it serves Israel politically,” he said, comparing Israel’s conduct to “an arsonist who runs to start the fire and then runs to put it out.”
Netanyahu raises possibility of outside direction
Netanyahu earlier Friday said investigators were examining whether the Omani co-pilot had been acting on instructions from another party.
“As time passes, the picture is becoming clearer,” Netanyahu said in a video statement. “Yaniv and his heroic friends prevented a disaster on the scale of September 11. The attacker underwent Islamist radicalization. He came to crash the plane with its passengers on board. We are now investigating whether he was sent, and whoever sent him will pay a very heavy price.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
(Photo: Jack GUEZ / AFP)
The UAE earlier formally described the attempted crash as a “terrorist act,” the first time it had used that definition publicly while the investigation was underway. On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump said he had heard that Iran may have been connected to the incident. Netanyahu was more cautious at the time, saying the possible Iranian connection remained under investigation.
The Indian captain and the Omani co-pilot have since been transferred from Saudi Arabia to the UAE, where the investigation is continuing with Israeli involvement.