JERUSALEM, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Thursday that he had ordered funding for flights to bring home Israelis stranded in Dubai and elsewhere in Asia following flight cancellations.
The cancellations followed a cockpit altercation on a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday.
In a statement on his Telegram channel, Smotrich said the Transport Ministry would receive the necessary funds, without specifying an amount.
Israel's flagship carrier El Al said it would operate special flights from Dubai, while another Israeli airline Israir said it was preparing two flights for Friday, subject to final approval.
The Dubai-based airline Flydubai suspended flights to and from Israel pending an investigation into Wednesday's incident, in which the co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain inside the cockpit, causing the aircraft to plunge suddenly, United Arab Emirates' media reported. Other crew members and passengers overpowered the attacker, allowing the crew to regain control before the aircraft diverted and landed safely at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia. ■
