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Saudi Arabia turned down Israeli request to allow its planes to pick up Israeli passengers, security sources say
The kingdom cited its lack of diplomatic ties with Israel as it refused a military evacuation request after the flight diverted to Saudi Arabia.
On Wednesday, Saudi Arabia rejected Israel's request to send military planes to retrieve passengers from a flydubai flight that made an emergency landing in the kingdom, two security sources said.
A co-pilot's attempt to disable the aircraft from Dubai to Tel Aviv forced an emergency diversion to Tabuk, where flight-tracking data showed a descent of nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds before both pilots were hospitalized.
Israeli military prepared Super Hercules planes for retrieval, but the request was denied because Saudi Arabia maintains no diplomatic relations with Israel, according to security sources.
Passengers will resume their journey on flydubai aircraft instead of Israeli military transport, the airline confirmed, resolving the immediate logistical challenge without military involvement.
The rejection reflects Saudi Arabia's long-standing refusal to join the US-brokered Abraham Accords without a pathway toward Palestinian statehood, even as President Donald Trump continues pushing for its participation.
Saudi Arabia rejected a request from Israel to allow planes to bring back Israeli passengers from a Flydubai flight that made an emergency landing on Saudi soil.
Saudi Arabia has rejected an Israeli request to allow its aircraft to repatriate Israeli passengers from a Flydubai flight that made an emergency landing in Tabuk today, two sources said today…More...