Netanyahu and Trump Discuss the "Fly Dubai" Incident Within Hours

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An Israeli source told the "Walla" website that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump will speak by phone in the coming hours, without providing additional details about the agenda of the call.

Passengers arrived at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel after being transferred on an alternative Fly Dubai plane from Saudi Arabia, where the original flight made an emergency landing at Tabuk Airport following an incident in the cockpit. Photos showed the arrival of the alternative plane at Tel Aviv Airport, while reports indicated that passengers spent about eight hours in Saudi Arabia before departing.

In Washington, U.S. Attorney Todd Blanche stated that the United States is coordinating "very closely" with its partners abroad, including Israel, regarding the incident involving the Fly Dubai plane that was en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv before being diverted, without providing details about the nature of the coordination or the U.S. entities involved, according to Reuters.

The flight (FZ1073) operated by Fly Dubai was on its way from Dubai to Tel Aviv when a dispute occurred between the pilots, followed by emergency signals and the diversion of the plane to Saudi Arabia. The company confirmed that the plane landed safely in Tabuk and that all passengers and crew members are fine, noting that the reasons for the incident and its motives are still unknown and are under official investigation.

Flight tracking data showed that the plane descended sharply from an altitude of nearly 34,000 feet to less than 17,000 feet in a short period before sending emergency signals, including one that could indicate illegal interference with the aircraft, raising fears of a possible hijacking and prompting Israel to scramble fighter jets to follow it. However, Netanyahu's office later stated that the incident is not being treated as a hijacking.

For his part, Netanyahu stated that Israel considers the incident an "attempted terrorist act," while the airline confirmed that it is too early to determine the reasons or motives behind the incident.

The Israeli Prime Minister added that he spoke with one of the Israeli passengers on board the flight, who informed him that he was able, with the help of a crew member, to reach the cockpit and take control of the pilot who was attempting to sabotage the aircraft's systems.

Following the incident, Netanyahu ordered a tightening of security measures on flights heading to Israel, whether operated by Israeli or foreign companies, while the Israeli Ministry of Transport announced that the investigation into the incident would be conducted in coordination with the security establishment.

At the same time, Israeli authorities stated that the passengers were safe, and necessary measures had been taken to return them to Israel, while Flydubai confirmed that it had sent two replacement aircraft to Tabuk to transport the affected passengers and crew.

The anticipated call between Netanyahu and Trump, along with U.S. coordination with Israel regarding the incident, comes at a time when Israeli and Saudi authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding it, while the motives behind the incident within the cockpit remain unresolved.