An attempted hijacking of a Flydubai plane full of Israeli citizens has become a flashpoint in the nation’s politics as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claims credit for alerting the opposition to the threat, while rivals claim he is exploiting the situation for campaign purposes.

A pilot who Israeli officials have identified as an Omani national allegedly stabbed his co-pilot while flying a plane full of Israeli citizens on Wednesday morning. Netanyahu said the pilot wanted to crash the aircraft. Passengers and crew members rushed the cockpit and stopped the hijacker before additional crew members took control and safely landed in Saudi Arabia.