# Netanyahu calls Indian pilot Captain Smit, invites him for Independence Day torch 2026-10-03T21:02:04+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday, 3 October, spoke via video call with Indian pilot Captain Smit Machhar, the captain of the Dubai-Tel Aviv flight attacked by a co-pilot. Netanyahu called him a hero for Israel, India and the world, and invited him to light a torch at Israel's Independence Day ceremony alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi. During the conversation, Captain Machhar described the terrifying moments in the cockpit on 30 September. He said the Omani co-pilot, Hamam al-Hamami, asked to pray and then attacked him with a crash axe. Despite severe injuries, Machhar opened the cockpit door, allowing crew and passengers to subdue the attacker. The flight made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, all 174 people aboard are safe. Aaj Tak reports that Netanyahu invited the captain to the Independence Day ceremony. Dainik Bhaskar adds that the invitation includes lighting the torch with PM Modi and that the co-pilot, influenced by al-Qaeda ideology, had been removed from pilot training in 2024. ## Indian Opinion Analysis Both outlets report the same core facts, but differ in framing. Aaj Tak focuses on the emotional call and the pilot's new cockpit details, casting Netanyahu's gesture as a personal honour. Dainik Bhaskar leads with the specific invitation to light the torch alongside PM Modi, foregrounds the co-pilot's background, his removal from training in 2024, al-Qaeda influence and the crash axe as the weapon, and includes a detailed transcript of the call. The two outlets together provide a more complete picture: the human story of the pilot's account and the security context of the attacker. No next step is named, but both reports leave open how the investigation will proceed against the detained co-pilot. ## Coverage Coverage: 2 sources, 2 neutral - aajtak.in (neutral report) Leads with emotional call, minimal context on attacker - bhaskar.com (neutral report) Leads with Modi mention, includes attacker background and transcript This brief was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry. Tags: Benjamin Netanyahu, Captain Smit Machhar, flydubai, Hamam al-Hamami, Israel, Narendra Modi Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/netanyahu-calls-indian-pilot-captain-smit-invites-him-for-independence-day-torch/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/netanyahu-calls-indian-pilot-captain-smit-invites-him-for-independence-day-torch/#story-in-brief How this brief was made: an AI model read the reports linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. Stance labels are editorial classifications of how each outlet framed this story, assigned by the same model, not ratings of the outlets. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/