Israelis foil hijacking
The week's news at a glance.
Istanbul
Israeli air marshals tackled and subdued an Arab man wielding a penknife who tried to hijack an El Al flight bound for Istanbul this week. The flight landed safely. The suspect, Israeli Arab Tawfik Fukra, told Turkish police that he was inspired by the 9/11 hijackers and wanted to crash the plane into a tall building in Tel Aviv. He meant to commandeer the jet shortly after takeoff, but couldn’t work up the courage to act until it had almost reached Istanbul. Fukra, who has no affiliation with any militant group, had no flight training and would have almost certainly failed to steer the jet back to Israel. The mystery is how he managed to smuggle a knife through what is considered the world’s tightest security.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
What should you be stockpiling for 'World War Three'?
In the Spotlight Britons advised to prepare after the EU tells its citizens to have an emergency kit just in case
By Elizabeth Carr-Ellis, The Week UK Published
-
Carnivore diet: why people are eating only meat
The Explainer 'Meatfluencers' are taking social media by storm but experts warn meat-only diets have health consequences
By Elizabeth Carr-Ellis, The Week UK Published
-
Scientists want to fight malaria by poisoning mosquitoes with human blood
Under the radar Drugging the bugs
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published