Netanyahu invites ‘true hero’ Indian FlyDubai captain to Israel
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has invited an Indian FlyDubai pilot to Israel as a guest of honor after the pilot survived an axe attack by his co-pilot. The invitation includes a request for the pilot to participate in Israel's Independence Day ceremony.
Why it matters
The incident highlights international cooperation and diplomatic ties between Israel and India in the context of a high-profile security event.
TEL AVIV: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday invited to Israel as a guest of honour the Indian captain of a Tel Aviv-bound FlyDubai flight who offered a dramatic account of how he saved the plane after being attacked.
Netanyahu said he wanted Captain Smit Machchhar and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, one of Israel’s key international partners, to light a flame at a national ceremony for Israel’s Independence Day next May, saying the role was usually reserved for Israeli citizens.
“You are a true hero of the brave peoples of India and Israel and you are a hero of the entire world,” Netanyahu said in a video his office released of his telephone conversation with the hospitalised captain.
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