The president of Israel, Isaac Herzog, awarded this Thursday the highest civilian decoration of the country to six passengers who were traveling on September 30 on the Flydubai flight between the United Arab Emirates and Israel, which was forced to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after an alleged "terrorist attack" carried out by the co-pilot of the plane.
Herzog presented the "Presidential Award for Civil Heroism" to six Israeli citizens --Tali and Zvika Manes, Yaniv Hayoun, Shota Musayev, Asaf Rajuan, and Or Pardilov-- a recognition that will also extend to Captain Smit Machchhar, of Indian nationality, who managed to complete the emergency landing despite having been stabbed by the assailant.
The head of state intervened in Jerusalem during the award ceremony for this honor, created by himself after the attacks by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) on October 7, 2023, against Israeli territory and which "expresses the recognition of the State of Israel to those people who acted with exceptional heroism, putting their own lives at risk, driven by mutual responsibility and in order to save human lives."
In his speech, Herzog emphasized that the awardees are "apparently ordinary people who proved to be extraordinary heroes by saving the flight" covering the Dubai-Tel Aviv route when the incident occurred. "Thanks to their bravery, determination, and extraordinary composure, these heroes prevented a devastating air disaster that would have shocked the entire world, and saved 174 precious lives," he highlighted.
The president expressed his wish for a "complete and swift recovery" for the captain, whom he praised for his "unmatched bravery and solid professionalism," and took the opportunity to call for unity from the international community in the face of the "global threat of terrorism."
"When danger lurks, it is good to have an Israeli by your side. (...) It is even better to heed the alerts and strategic warnings from Israel before danger materializes," he stated.
"October 7 left an indelible mark on the Israeli people, and the trauma will be palpable for generations. We have learned, through painful sacrifice, what it means to face an existential threat. And we have learned that confronting it requires foresight, determination, and, above all, international cooperation in the fight against terrorism," he insisted.