The Defense Ministry on Monday officially recognized the passengers of the flydubai attempted hijacking as victims of hostile actions under Israeli law, a month and a half after the incident took place.
The decision was made after the ministry received confirmation from investigative authorities, including the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and Mossad, that the hijacking was indeed an attempted terror attack.
Following the announcement, the National Insurance Institute clarified that there is no such thing as an "automatic allowance for everyone," nor any mechanism to proactively send out claims to individuals.
"Anyone who feels they have suffered physical or mental harm (or both) may submit a claim," NII said, adding that the law requires "anyone seeking recognition" to undergo a medical board assessment.
"Every individual is unique - no two people are alike. The nature of the harm suffered and the way each person copes with it vary from case to case. Disability percentages are determined by a medical board specifically for victims of hostile acts. Individuals recognized as having a disability level of over 20% resulting from a hostile act are entitled to both an allowance and various benefits," NII added.
On September 30, during a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, the Omani co-pilot Hammam al-Hammami attacked Indian captain Smit Machchhar with an axe, seriously injuring him in the head.
The aircraft began descending rapidly, and passengers realized they could be heading toward a crash. Tali Mans, who heard shouting from the cockpit, called for help.
The injured captain managed to open the cockpit door, and several passengers, including Yaniv Hayun, Asaf Rajwan, Or Fardilov, and Zvika Mans, rushed toward the co-pilot, overpowered him, and restrained him using headphone cables.
Dr. Shota Musayev, a dentist aboard the flight, treated the injured captain and tried to stop the bleeding.
Two pilots employed by the airline who were traveling on the aircraft as passengers took over in the cockpit and successfully landed the plane in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Recognizing incident as 'hostile act' took over a month
As Walla previously reported, despite the official reception the passengers received upon their return to Israel, more than a month passed before the incident was officially recognized as a hostile act for the purpose of granting benefits.
Some of the passengers required psychological treatment and financial assistance, but without approval from the Defense Ministry's designated authority, they were unable to receive the assistance available to victims of terrorist attacks.
Upon their arrival in Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with several of the passengers who had overpowered and subdued the copilot. Netanyahu told Hayun, "You are a hero. You deserve a worldwide medal of honor."
President Isaac Herzog also held a reception for the passengers who helped thwart the attempted terrorist attack and presented them with awards for bravery.
However, while the passengers received recognition from senior Israeli officials, the formal process of recognizing them as victims of terrorism was delayed. This was despite Defense Minister Israel Katz having described the attempt to crash the plane as a jihadist terrorist attack on the day of the incident.
Following Walla's report, the Defense Ministry stated at the time that its designated authority was in continuous contact with the National Insurance Institute's Department for Victims of Hostile Actions and that decisions would be made after receiving relevant information from the authorized investigative bodies.
Now that the passengers have been officially recognized as victims of terrorist attacks, the formal obstacle preventing them from proceeding with the process of obtaining benefits and assistance from the National Insurance Institute has been removed.