Israel's Defense Ministry on Monday officially recognized the passengers of the attempted flydubai hijacking as victims of hostile actions under Israeli law, The Jerusalem Post reports. The decision came a month and a half after the incident, once the ministry received confirmation from investigative authorities, including the Shin Bet and the Mossad, that the hijacking was indeed an attempted terror attack.
The Post recounts what happened aboard flydubai flight FZ1073. The injured captain managed to open the cockpit door, and several passengers, including Yaniv Hayun, Asaf Rajwan, Or Fardilov and Zvika Mans, rushed the co-pilot, overpowered him and restrained him with headphone cables. Two pilots employed by the airline who were traveling as passengers took over in the cockpit and landed the plane in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
The passengers came home to a hero's welcome. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met several of those who subdued the co-pilot and told Hayun, "You are a hero. You deserve a worldwide medal of honor." President Isaac Herzog held a reception for them and presented awards for bravery. Defense Minister Israel Katz had called the attempt to crash the plane a jihadist terrorist attack on the day it happened, the Post notes.
Yet the formal recognition lagged. As Walla first reported, some passengers needed psychological treatment and financial help, but without approval from the ministry's designated authority they could not receive the aid available to terror victims. After that report, the ministry said its authority was in continuous contact with the National Insurance Institute's Department for Victims of Hostile Actions and that decisions would follow the findings of the authorized investigative bodies.
With the recognition in hand, the Post reports, the formal obstacle to benefits from the National Insurance Institute has been removed. The institute said there is no "automatic allowance for everyone" and no mechanism to send out claims on its own. "Anyone who feels they have suffered physical or mental harm (or both) may submit a claim," it said, adding that the law requires a medical board assessment. Those found to have a disability level over 20% from a hostile act are entitled to an allowance and benefits.
