Travelers board a FlyDubai aircraft at Ben Gurion International Airport after a separate FlyDubai flight from the United Arab Emirates to Israel was diverted to Saudi Arabia following an emergency signal, in Lod, near Tel Aviv, Israel, Sept. 30, 2026. Photo: REUTERS/Ammar Awad

Unless you’re completely avoiding the news, you already know that Israeli passengers defeated a hijacking attempt on board flydubai flight FZ1073.

The mood in Israel is one of significant national pride. I saw a meme that put it perfectly:

Only a plane full of Israelis would defeat a hijacker, restrain him with headphone cords, provide medical care to the injured, and then after all that be like, “Sababa — who here knows how to fly an 737?”

What happened was indeed inspirational but should also serve as a sobering warning.

Two hours into the flight and 35,000 feet over Saudi Arabia, the copilot, an Omani national, stabbed the captain, an Indian national named Smit Machchhar. Though fallen to the ground and wounded, Captain Machchhar managed to unlock the cockpit and call for help.

This was an attempt to hijack the aircraft and its Israeli passengers.

Israel immediately scrambled fighter jets to potentially intercept the aircraft. Meanwhile, as the plane dove some 20,000 feet in under a minute, a number of Israeli passengers took action: including Yaniv Hayun, a plumber, who jumped into the cockpit, pulled back on the control yoke to level out the dive, and helped subdue the terrorist. Shota Musaev, a dentist, not only helped subdued the terrorist, but then provided medical care to the injured captain. Other passengers helped to restrain the terrorist, apparently using headphone cables as makeshift restraints.

In a stroke of pure luck, two pilots happened to be on board — they took over the highly damaged aircraft and made a safe emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. The terrorist was turned over to Saudi officials.

Israel has not yet (publicly) identified a country or terror organization behind the attack, and none have yet come forward to claim credit. The investigation is ongoing.

Israel/Arab ties remain strong

Israel is cooperating closely with its ally, the UAE, while the Mossad is reportedly leading the investigation in close coordination with Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia does not have official relations with Israel and refused to let Israeli military aircraft retrieve the Israeli passengers on Saudi soil. However, the Kingdom has reportedly been hospitable to the Israelis and helped coordinate their return home on another flydubai aircraft.

Such warm Israeli-Arab relationships would have been unbelievable just a few years ago. By contrast, Iran is (not surprisingly) calling the event a “false flag” attack by Israel itself.

Courage and luck

Israelis are experiencing a moment of well-deserved euphoria and pride, yet this should also serve as a sobering wake-up call: Luck also played a role.

Had Captain Machchhar not succeeded in unlocking the cockpit, had Mr. Hayun arrived just seconds later, had replacement pilots not been on board, or a dozen other strokes of pure luck, then the hijacking might have been successful.

Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon described the outcome as a “miracle” as did several passengers. Yet the sages of the Talmud have long taught us אין סומכין על הנס: “Don’t rely on miracles.”

What went wrong?

Details are still coming out and investigations are ongoing. But at a glance, there are some obvious violations of basic logic and common sense that should have been addressed years ago:

• Anyone who has flown out of Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport knows the incredibly thorough security process, which includes personal interviews with each passenger, and a myriad of unseen intelligence resources. Foreign airports are typically far less thorough. If such high security is needed when departing Israel, why would it not also be needed when arriving to Israel?
• El Al is famous for its on-board security, which is rumored to include undercover armed guards on all flights, anti-missile technology, and pilots who are deeply vetted — typically with a background in the Israeli Air Force. How is it possible that such security is necessary for one of the airlines that flies into Israel, but not for any of the others?

In short, Israel’s air security system is like a house with a sturdy front door but wide-open windows: Secure in one place, but not in others. The lesson of Oct. 7 is that we must not wait for tragedy to strike before addressing such lapses.

We can all be heroes

Last week’s miracle is a message to the world, especially to the Jewish world: Sometimes we have to save ourselves. That might mean brave action against a physical attack, or it might mean speaking up in our communities: even when speaking up is hard to do. Even when it carries a risk. Especially when it carries a risk.

The Torah teaches וברכך ה׳ אלהיך בכל אשר תעשה, which loosely translated means “G-d helps those who help themselves.” Centuries later the poet Virgil beautifully echoed this message in a more secular phrasing, “fortune favors the bold.”

Daniel Pomerantz is the CEO of RealityCheck, an organization dedicated to deepening public conversation through robust research studies and public speaking.