Flydubai incident: Omani pilot suspected of stabbing Captain Smit Machchhar; what are the relations between oman and israel? | Today’s news

The Omani national suspected of stabbing Indian captain Smit Machchhar and attempting to crash a Flydubai flight carrying 174 passengers from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday has raised questions about how he was given permission to operate the Israel-bound flight, given that Oman and Israel do not have formal diplomatic relations.

An Israeli official told The Times of Israel that the co-pilot posted content on social media about killing Jews and asked Emirates crew members to kill him during the incident. The official said the suspect appeared to have been radicalized into jihadist ideology, while stressing that the investigation was still ongoing.

“He was a person who was willing to commit suicide,” the official told The Times of Israel. “His social media accounts (say) clearly that he has been radicalized into jihadist ideology. He talks about killing Jews.”

Quick answers to key questions

•5 QUESTIONS

The presence of an Omani co-pilot on the Israel-bound flight raised concerns because Flydubai’s agreement to operate in Israel requires pilots from countries that have normalized relations with Israel, and Oman is not one of those countries.

Oman and Israel do not maintain formal diplomatic relations, although they have been in dialogue since 1993.

Israeli authorities, along with officials from the UAE and Saudi Arabia, are investigating the security aspects of the incident and examining whether there were signs of an attack before the flight.

According to the agreements reported by Israeli media, pilots operating flights to Israel must hold passports from countries that have diplomatic relations with Israel.

A motive remains unclear, but investigators are looking into a variety of scenarios, including terrorism and mental health issues, amid allegations the co-pilot was radicalized.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu separately claimed the attacker had undergone radical Islamist indoctrination, warning it was too early to tell if he had any ties to Iran.

Why is the presence of the Omani pilot on the flight being questioned?

The incident prompted a review of security procedures that allowed an Omani national to serve as co-pilot on a Tel Aviv-bound flight.

According to The Jerusalem Post, Flydubai’s agreement to operate flights in Israel specifically requires pilots to come from countries that have normalized relations with Israel. Oman is reportedly not among these countries.

“This is a clear violation of the agreement,” a source quoted by the Post said, adding that the Shin Bet should investigate how the pilot was allowed to operate the flight.

The Post also reported that Mossad, Shin Bet, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Ministry of Transport have launched a joint investigation. The probe is examining whether there were any indications of an attack before the flight and how the Omani pilot was authorized to fly the plane.

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Flydubai said the circumstances of the incident remained under investigation and declined to comment further.

Do Oman and Israel have diplomatic relations?

No. The Israeli Foreign Ministry lists Oman among the countries with which it does not maintain diplomatic relations.

However, the absence of formal diplomatic ties does not mean that there were no contacts between the two countries.

Read also | The UAE is investigating a possible “terrorist” link in the attack on the Flydubai flight to Israel

Oman established diplomatic dialogue with Israel in 1993 and hosted former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in 1994. More than two decades later, Netanyahu made a surprise visit to Muscat in October 2018, where he met with Sultan Qaboos bin Said. Netanyahu’s office said at the time that the visit followed long contacts between the two countries.

Has Oman joined the Abraham Accords?

No. Oman did not establish diplomatic relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords.

The 2020 agreements introduced or promoted normalization between Israel and countries including the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, while Oman remained outside the agreements.

Read also | FlyDubai passengers tell of ‘abduction’, 18,000ft drop

The difference is significant in Flydubai’s case because the UAE, unlike Oman, established diplomatic relations with Israel in 2020. The Flydubai plane involved in Wednesday’s incident was flying from Dubai, the UAE’s main aviation hub, to Tel Aviv.

What are the travel links between Oman and Israel?

There is no standard visa-free travel between Oman and Israel. Israel’s official visa information lists Oman among the countries whose nationals require a visa to enter.

This differs from the UAE-Israel relationship, which has included direct flights and expanded travel connections since their 2020 normalization agreement.

Why does Oman maintain contact with Israel and Iran?

Omani foreign policy has traditionally emphasized dialogue, mediation and maintaining channels with various regional actors.

Oman’s foreign ministry says the country established diplomatic dialogue with Israel in 1993, while emphasizing its long-standing role in facilitating dialogue with Iran. Oman played a role in efforts that helped facilitate the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and maintains close diplomatic ties with Tehran.

This approach will remain visible in 2026. The Omani Foreign Ministry continued high-level engagement with Iran, including talks on regional security and diplomacy. In January, Omani and Iranian officials discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation and using dialogue and diplomacy to resolve regional differences.

In June, Oman and Iran also reaffirmed cooperation on the Strait of Hormuz and maintaining dialogue on navigation and regional stability.

Investigation into the Flydubai incident

Meanwhile, Israeli authorities are investigating the security aspects of the case, while the UAE and Saudi Arabia are also involved in probing the incident. The underlying motive and circumstances remain the subject of a formal investigation and Flydubai cautioned against premature speculation.