Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has invited Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to light the ceremonial flame at Israel’s upcoming Independence Day celebrations.During a telephonic conversation with Machchhar on Saturday, Netanyahu praised the Indian pilot as a hero of India, Israel and the world for his bravery in foiling a mid-air attack. He also wished Machchhar a speedy and complete recovery and conveyed his best wishes to the pilot’s family.Netanyahu noted that the honour of lighting the ceremonial flame is traditionally reserved for Israeli citizens, making the invitation a rare and significant recognition of Machchhar’s courage and service.Captain Machchhar, who is currently in Abu Dhabi receiving medical care and undergoing recovery, displayed extraordinary courage and presence of mind in saving the lives of 174 passengers during an attack in the cockpit of a plane operated by airline flydubai. The plane had taken off from Dubai on September 30 and was headed to Tel Aviv.Meanwhile, authorities in Australia and Israel are investigating the Omani co-pilot’s links to Australia and how he came to be part of the crew of a flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv, as the UAE-led probe examines Hamam al-Hammami’s motives and connections, according to media reports.The Australian Federal Police said a counter-terrorism team was investigating the man’s links to Australia, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported on Jattvibeday.The Victorian Joint Counter Terrorism Team, comprising the Australian Federal Police, Victoria Police and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, is conducting the Australian investigation, the Australian Federal Police told ABC and the BBC.Sources familiar with the case told Australian media that the co-pilot was issued a student visa in 2014 and studied in Australia between 2015 and 2017 before leaving the country. His visa was cancelled in 2019, the ABC reported, adding that the cancellation was not on character grounds but because he was no longer enrolled in a course and therefore no longer eligible for a student visa.The UAE said on Saturday that its probe had revealed the co-pilot attempted to carry out a “terrorist act”.UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi said the co-pilot attacked the captain inside the flight deck with a crash axe and attempted to take control of the aircraft, the state-run WAM news agency reported.He said investigations were continuing to establish the full circumstances, motives and any links related to the incident.The co-pilot has been identified by multiple media outlets as Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani national, although his identity has not been officially confirmed.The Wall Street Journal reported that al-Hammami had previously been barred from flying in Oman over concerns about his radical ideological views.CNN, citing sources and an Israeli official, reported that he was removed from flight training because of concerns over his radical views and was subsequently given another role at Oman’s national airline.News reports citing sources said he had been working for flydubai for about eight months.It was not immediately clear to what extent he was vetted before being hired by the UAE-based airline flydubai.Royal Air Maroc, Morocco’s national carrier, told AP news agency that al-Hammami completed a three-month theoretical training period with the airline in 2025 as part of its pre-employment process, but his application was not selected for employment.Al-Hammami completed a three-year distance-learning course in aviation management at Buckinghamshire New University in the UK and graduated in 2023, the BBC reported, quoting the university. The university said he did not undergo any pilot training at the institution.The Israeli official also told CNN that several Israeli agencies, including Shin Bet, Mossad, the military and the Transportation Ministry, were investigating how the Omani pilot came to be part of the flight crew.(With agency inputs)