New Delhi [India], October 6 (ANI): Israel’s Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, Yossi Avraham Shelley, stated that the recent attempted terror attack aboard Tel Aviv-bound flydubai flight has backfired against its perpetrators, resulting in tighter diplomatic ties and increased flight connections between Israel and the UAE, calling it a “loss-loss, not a win-win for them.”Speaking in an interview with ANI from Abu Dhabi, Ambassador Shelley addressed the ongoing investigation, the heroic actions of Indian Captain Smith Machchhar, and the broader geopolitical impact under the Abraham Accords.Commenting on the intention behind the cockpit attack, Shelley noted that the perpetrators aimed to create fear and destabilise regional normalisation. However, he emphasised that the incident produced the opposite outcome.”Actually, this attack—the signs that they want to send that it is better not to be in accord with Israel—made a lot of problems,” Shelley said. “As I said, it turned opposite. Their relations are strengthening. Our flights, the Israeli companies, are going in. If you want to stop things, it increased things. So it is a loss-loss, not a win-win for them.”Recounting a recent call where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke directly with Captain Smit, Shelley described the pilot as a “great hero” who demonstrated exceptional courage in critical milliseconds.”First, he is a humble guy,” Shelley said. “He said in his words, ‘I tried to save life, knowing that if I do it, I will save all the plane.’ In those milliseconds that you have, he fought for time to open the door. First he opened it, then the attacker closed it, and in the last force he opened it, and then the rescue came. It was like a miracle. I believe in miracles and I believe in God, and together they won.”Shelley highlighted the extraordinary nature of the survival, stating that Captain Smit’s actions place him among historical figures.”Usually in history, there are heroes who come from war with a lot of medals,” Shelley observed. “Sometimes normal people doing their job are made great heroes by the occasion, and I think he will be known in the pantheon of heroes all over the world. There were not so many cases like this—actually, ten times where a pilot tried to crash, and I think he is the only one who actually survived an attack and saved the lives of all those people.”Addressing the motivation behind the assault, Shelley linked the co-pilot’s actions to radical extremist ideology, asserting that he was gathering with Islamists and plotting revenge.”What is known is that it was a guy who became extremist,” Shelley noted. “In his last months, he was gathering with Islamists, thinking about revenge. Minutes before he wanted to crash the plane, he asked permission to pray, took his small carpet, and it all seemed normal. So you see a connection to what we call jihadist fanatics.”Regarding the active inquiry into whether the co-pilot acted alone or as part of a wider network, Shelley expressed full trust in the Emirati authorities leading the probe.”Who is running the investigation is the Emirati authorities, and we have great confidence in them,” Shelley affirmed. “There are links with Israeli authorities because we have intelligence and they have intelligence. We trust them 100 per cent. If he was working alone or with a group, the death penalty is waiting for him.”Highlighting the historic significance of Prime Minister Netanyahu inviting Captain Smith and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to light a torch at Israel’s next Independence Day ceremony, Shelley noted that this honour is virtually unprecedented for foreign nationals.”In Israel, since this heroic act, we have never given it to foreigners—it is usually for Israelis,” Shelley explained. “According to the Prime Minister, giving it to a foreign citizen is unique and serves as a symbol of his act of heroism. It is the highest decoration that we can give, and it goes down in history forever.”Concluding on the broader message of the incident, Shelley emphasised that the response reflects a shared human resilience that transcends international diplomacy, highlighting the collective efforts of the Indian pilot who opened the cockpit door despite being injured, the passengers who subdued the attacking co-pilot and the two off-duty pilots who safely landed the plane in Saudi Arabia.”The hidden message is that normal people like peace,” Shelley said. “They are against terror and will fight for their lives against terror. There were other heroes—Israelis who subdued the attacker and doctors who cared for the captain so he survived. What it means is that there are always good people where politics are not involved—just normal people trying to make life better. We cherish it and give a big thank you to his upbringing, the Indian government, and the Emirates for what they did.”Meanwhile, a CBS News report said that Israel scrambled fighter jets and stood ready to shoot down the Flydubai plane if it had pressed on towards Tel Aviv in the wake of a cockpit stabbing attack.Saudi Arabia likewise scrambled fighter jets, according to the CBS News report.If the plane had maintained its course for Tel Aviv, Israeli fighter pilots were prepared to close the distance and seek visual contact with the occupants of the cockpit, the report indicated.The purpose would have been to decide whether a hijacking had occurred and to clarify the nature of the crisis.CBS News stated that confirmation of a hijacking combined with silence from the attackers could have led to the matter being referred to Israel’s Defence Minister and Prime Minister. (ANI)(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. 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