What happened
Saudi Arabia reportedly refused a request from Israel to allow its planes to land and bring back the passengers of Flydubai Flight FZ1073. The flight was diverted to make an emergency landing in Tabuk, northwestern Saudi Arabia, after a copilot stabbed the other copilot in a failed hijacking attempt.
The plane, carrying over 170 Israeli passengers, was flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv when the incident occurred. The passengers helped overpower the attacking copilot, and the plane was safely landed. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the passengers' actions as heroic.
According to reports, the Israeli Air Force was preparing to send planes to Saudi Arabia to pick up the Israeli passengers, but the request was turned down by Saudi Arabia, which does not have diplomatic relations with Israel.
The incident is being investigated, and the attacking pilot is being held in Saudi Arabia. The United Arab Emirates' Prosecutor General has also ordered an investigation to determine the circumstances and motives behind the incident.
