'Hope you suffer another October 7': Unruly Israelis arrested on plane

'Hope you suffer another October 7': Unruly Israelis arrested on plane

Three men arrested on a Lufthansa flight at Ben Gurion Airport for disruptive behavior and assaulting officers, with one suspect invoking October 7 during the arrest.

Chaos at Ben Gurion: Three Arrested After Allegedly Attacking Police, Wishing ‘Another October 7’ on Officers

A violent disturbance aboard a foreign airline flight at Ben Gurion Airport ended with the arrest of three young men after they allegedly attacked police officers, injured four of them, and one suspect reportedly shouted at an officer, “I hope October 7 happens to you,” according to Israeli police. The incident occurred Friday shortly before takeoff, when three men in their 20s—two brothers from Yaffo and a friend from Bat Yam—allegedly became disruptive while on board the aircraft. According to authorities, the trio began behaving violently and erratically, prompting the flight crew to determine that they posed a serious threat to both passengers and the safe operation of the flight. Police officers from the Ben Gurion Airport precinct were called to the scene to remove them from the plane. When officers boarded the aircraft and instructed the men to leave, the suspects allegedly refused and became increasingly aggressive. Police said the three cursed at officers, physically assaulted them, and even bit several of them during the confrontation. The struggle left four police officers injured. Some required medical treatment after the incident. Officers ultimately used what police described as reasonable force to restrain the suspects, handcuff them, and escort them off the aircraft in front of stunned passengers. During the altercation, one of the suspects allegedly directed an inflammatory remark at a female police officer, shouting, “I hope October 7 happens to you,” a reference to the Hamas-led terrorist attack on Israel that took place on October 7, 2023. The statement reportedly shocked those at the scene. The suspects were taken into custody and transported to the Ben Gurion Airport police station for questioning. Police said the investigation remains ongoing and that, depending on its findings, the three will be brought before a judge for a hearing on a request to extend their detention. Israeli authorities treat violent incidents aboard commercial aircraft as particularly serious because they can jeopardize the safety of passengers and crew. Law enforcement and airport security officials maintain a zero-tolerance policy toward disruptive or violent behavior on flights, and suspects in such cases can face charges including assaulting police officers, endangering an aircraft, and disturbing the public order. {Matzav.com}