A group of Israeli Jews stopped a Greek Aegean Airlines plane from flying from Athens to Tel Aviv Sunday after two Israeli-Arabs boarded the plane and the Israeli Jews feared they were terrorists.
Israeli Jews Fears of Terrorism Disrupt Aegean Air Flight In Athens
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com
A group of Israeli Jews stopped a Greek Aegean Airlines plane from flying from Athens to Tel Aviv Sunday after two Israeli-Arabs boarded the plane, Ma’ariv reported based on a report by Israel Radio.
Some of the Israeli Jews feared the Israeli-Arabs were terrorists and demanded they be removed from the plane.
The Aegean Air crew did not see any reason to suspect the two Israeli-Arabs of being anything other than regular passengers and refused to remove them, but it did delay the flight to have the passengers’ documents rechecked by security.
After a delay of more than an hour, that additional security check was completed and the plane should have departed for Tel Aviv – but it didn’t because many of the Israeli Jews stood up in their seats and refused to sit down until the two Palestinians were removed from the plane.
Because the plane is not allowed to take off when any passenger is standing, it sat on the tarmac.
After another significant delay, the airport’s closing time was rapidly approaching. To end the standoff while it was still possible to take off, Aegean Air offered to compensate the two Israeli-Arabs if they would agree to disembark and spend the night a a hotel, all expenses paid by Aegean Air. The two Israeli-Arabs agreed and disembarked.
But then the Jewish passengers demanded to inspect the Israeli-Arabs’ luggage, which was still on board.
Aegean Air refused.
The Israeli Jews remained adamant and insisted they must inspect the Arab-Israelis’ luggage before the plane could leave.
The exasperated pilot told the Israeli Jews they could choose to disembark or they could choose sit down and allow the plane to take off. The choice was the Israeli Jews’ and the cost of disembarking would be theirs, as well, because neither Aegean Air did not offer the Israeli Jews compensation for disembarking or paid hotel rooms.
The Israeli Jews sat down, and the plane flew to Tel Aviv.