VFI News Herzog at the Nova Site: 'We Will Dance Again, We Will Live Again'; Britain Threatens to Expel 27 Israeli Diplomats Over Jerusalem

A plane carrying 176 passengers — most of them Israelis — was nearly hijacked mid-flight over Jordan. What unfolded in the cockpit changed everything. Here's the full story the media buried.

This week on VFI News, we break down the attempted hijacking of Fly Dubai Flight 1073 in detail — including Captain Smid Mahar's direct testimony to Prime Minister Netanyahu, the sequence of miracles that kept 176 people alive, and why so many in Israel are seeing this as a sign that God has not forgotten this nation.

We also cover the ongoing standoff in the Strait of Hormuz, Saudi Arabia's escalating hot war with the Houthis, and oil prices now sitting north of $100 a barrel — and what all of that means for the region and the world.

Plus: why the existence of Israel itself is the most uncomfortable argument for the reality of the God of the Bible — and what that has to do with everything from the UK Green Party's anti-Zionism resolution to the thousands of Christian Zionists who filled Jerusalem last week for the Feast of Tabernacles.

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Vision for Israel invites you to Arise and Shine — A Day of Light, Faith and Hope in London: Saturday, October 17, 2026, 10:00 am–5:00 pm, St Marylebone Parish Church, 17 Marylebone Road, London NW1 5LT. For details, visit our website and register HERE.  

President Isaac Herzog on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, attended and addressed the memorial ceremony at the site of the Nova music festival near Re'im, where hundreds of festival-goers were murdered and abducted during the Hamas-led October 7 massacre three years earlier. Before the ceremony, Herzog delivered a statement to the international media from the site, recalling the thousands of young people who had gathered there to celebrate before the attack. "Here at the Nova Musical Festival, thousands of young people came to sing and to dance, to celebrate life. People of 36 nationalities, from all over the world and from Israel. They were horrifically butchered, killed, tortured, raped, and abducted into Gaza," he said.

Three years after the massacre, the president said, Israel remains determined to commemorate the victims while demonstrating its resilience and rebuilding the communities devastated in the attack. "We are here to tell their stories, and to remember, and reflect, and reminisce, and say to the world: we will dance again, we will live again," he declared. "We are a nation in agony, but we are showing immense resilience. This whole region, which was attacked barbarically on October 7th, is now rebuilding."

Herzog stressed Israel's right to defend itself against terrorism while emphasizing its desire for peace with its neighbors. "We are a nation like all nations. We have the inherent right to defend ourselves and fight terror. But we yearn for peace, and we want our neighbors to live in peace as well," he said. He pointed to UN Security Council Resolution 2301, which calls for the disarming of Hamas, as a pathway toward that goal, saying it should be the international objective alongside "combating the empire of evil from Tehran." He closed by thanking those around the world who had sent condolences and shared in Israel's pain, adding: "Let the memory of those who were killed be a blessing to all of us."

(INN/VFI News)

“Dear Lord, we pray in Yeshua's Name that You would comfort the families who gathered at the Nova site three years after that terrible morning. We thank You that Israel is a nation that chooses life and rebuilds what was destroyed. We ask You to turn President Herzog's words into reality, so that Israel will truly dance again and live again. Let the memory of those who were killed be a blessing, and bring Your peace to the region.”

An 18-year-old Minnesota man accused of supporting the Islamic State (ISIS) and planning a mass shooting at the Mall of America told an informant that he chose the shopping center as a target "because it's owned by Jewish," federal charges allege. Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud was arrested after purchasing an AK-47-style rifle, magazines, and ammunition from an undercover FBI employee. He is charged with one count of knowingly receiving a firearm and ammunition while knowing or having reason to believe they would be used in a felony or federal crime of terrorism.

Court documents detail months of communications over messaging applications and TikTok between Mohamud and an informant, during which authorities say he pledged support for ISIS, discussed attacking the mall, and expressed interest in traveling to Somalia to join a terrorist organization. In one message he wrote that he wanted to attack the mall "because its [sic] owned by Jewish so if I kill even 30 people no one would go there anymore. I want to harm the jew [sic] just like brothers in Australia Bondi Beach harmed the Jews." He told an FBI confidential source in September 2026 that "October 24 is the day insha Allah" — the date of a "Hmong Arts Celebration" at the mall that would draw "a lot of people."

The man who sold Mohamud the rifle, whom he believed was a loyal ISIS member, was working undercover for the FBI. Mohamud is a US-born American citizen whose parents are naturalized citizens from Somalia. FBI Director Kash Patel said the suspect "allegedly obtained a weapon he hoped to use in a mass casualty attack in support of ISIS, but this FBI arrested him and put a stop to his plans." Mohamud appeared before a federal judge in Minnesota on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, was ordered temporarily detained, and is scheduled to return to court on Monday, October 19, 2026, for a preliminary and detention hearing.

(INN/VFI News)

"The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them; but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming." – Psalm 37:12-13

The Jewish Museum Vienna and the Austrian-Israeli Society were among the possible targets of a Hamas network that investigators say was preparing attacks in Europe around the second anniversary of the October 7, 2023, massacre, a joint investigation by German and Austrian newspapers has found. The investigation, published the week of October 5, 2026, provides new details about the plot that European authorities disrupted in 2025. It points to the possible involvement of senior Hamas official Basem Naim and his communications with his son, Mohammed, whom investigators have identified as a central figure in the network.

German federal prosecutors in September 2026 indicted seven suspected Hamas members, alleging they acquired weapons and prepared an attack in Germany or Austria. Prosecutors say the network obtained 13 pistols, a fully automatic rifle, and 718 rounds of ammunition for attacks against Israeli representatives, Jews, or people considered supportive of Israel. Basem Naim, a member of Hamas's political bureau and a former health minister in Gaza, allegedly discussed plans for attacks in Vienna or Germany with his son behind the scenes, even as he publicly condemned attacks on Jews in Europe and the United States.

After an Israeli strike targeting Hamas leaders in Qatar in September 2025 put Basem Naim in danger, Mohammed made an unplanned trip to the Gulf state — about a month after he had allegedly recorded a video in Vienna claiming responsibility in advance for the planned attack. Late on August 7, 2025, investigators say, Naim was filmed in a rented room in Vienna's Favoriten district, his face covered, with two pistols on the table in front of him. In the recording he spoke of revenge against Israel, warned that "blood will be spilled," and said the "armed resistance" would send Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a "message in blood." Investigators later found traces linking him to weapons seized in Vienna.

(YNN/VFI News)

“Heavenly Father, we pray in Yeshua's Name that You would continue to expose every weapon hidden and every plot planned against Jewish communities in Europe. We thank You for the intelligence that reached German investigators in time and for the arrests that stopped this network before it could strike. We ask You to protect the Jewish Museum Vienna, the Austrian-Israeli Society, and every synagogue and school across the continent. Give wisdom to the courts in Berlin as they weigh these charges, and let justice be done.”

President Isaac Herzog presented the Presidential Medal of Civilian Heroism at the President's Residence on Thursday, October 8, 2026, to six Israelis who acted during the incident aboard Flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv, subduing the attacker and helping save the lives of the 174 passengers on board. The six recipients are Or Bardilov, Yaniv Hayoun, Dr. Shota Musayev, Tali Manes, Zvika Manes, and Asaf Rajuan. Herzog told them he was honoring "the extraordinary civilian heroism embodied in your actions" in "one of the most chilling aviation stories known to humanity."

"A story in which there was no time to think, formulate a plan, consult or prepare," the president said. "A story written without orders and without a briefing. A story in which fate was decided in a moment." He singled out Tali Manes for noticing what was happening and calling for help; Yaniv Hayoun, Zvika Manes, Or Bardilov, and Asaf Rajuan for rushing the attacker and helping restore control of the aircraft; and Dr. Shota Musayev for giving the injured pilot lifesaving treatment. "You are the six who prevented a major aviation disaster — a disaster that could have changed the face of the State of Israel and the Middle East," he said.

Herzog also praised the Indian pilot, Captain Smit Machchhar, who fought the attacker despite being seriously wounded and opened the cockpit door, and announced that he intends to award him the medal as well. He stressed that the heroism does not eliminate the need for a full investigation: "Everyone, all of us, deserve clear and satisfactory answers." Pointing to passengers who did not stop to ask one another which side they were on, he concluded: "On behalf of everyone who believes in the power of mutual responsibility — I salute you. And for something so simple, so human and so profoundly Israeli: at the moment when you had to choose — you chose life."

(INN/VFI News)

"…Now choose life, so that you and your children may live…" – Deuteronomy 30:19

Witness the devastating impact of the brutal attack by Hamas terrorists on October 7, which claimed the lives of over 360 individuals and left many others wounded or taken hostage. We stand in solidarity with the affected families, offering prayers and support. Let us remember and honor the victims, ensuring their legacy endures as a beacon of resilience and unity.

More than 1,200 airline crew members from countries without diplomatic relations with Israel — including Syria, Lebanon, and Oman — have entered the country since the start of 2026, figures that emerged on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, show. The number takes on an entirely different meaning after the attempted hijacking of a Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, and particularly after it was revealed that the Omani pilot at the center of the affair had previously raised concerns in his home country.

Imam Al-Hamami was not a pilot who appeared out of nowhere. Authorities in Oman had already noticed his online activity and concluded that he was showing excessive interest in radical ideology — a concern serious enough that he was not allowed to continue working as a pilot for the national carrier, Oman Air. He was sent to an anti-extremism program and transferred to an office position, but the chain of information broke at that point: the concerns about him were never passed on to the relevant authorities. Al-Hamami was subsequently hired by Flydubai, which did not contact Omani authorities to investigate his background and instead relied on a criminal-record check. Sources familiar with the matter said he had already flown to Israel several times, and he told investigators in the UAE that he had planned the attack before being hired by the airline.

UAE authorities are now investigating the Flydubai officials involved in hiring him, while authorities in Abu Dhabi and Jerusalem are seeking to determine whether signs of his radicalization first emerged while he was living in Australia. In Israel, questions are being raised over who was responsible for identifying the potential threat. Transportation Minister Miri Regev said over the weekend of October 3–4, 2026, that responsibility for screening intelligence and vetting foreign flight crews does not lie with her ministry but with the security authorities.

(INN/VFI News)

"The simple believe anything, but the prudent give thought to their steps." – Proverbs 14:15

Britain has warned Israel that it will expel 27 Israeli diplomats from the embassy in London unless Jerusalem reverses its decision to close the British Consulate General in eastern Jerusalem, a message conveyed to Israeli officials shows. The warning marks a sharp escalation in relations that deteriorated further in September 2026, when London banned imports of goods from Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria and sanctioned individuals and companies it says support or profit from them. Britain considers the communities illegal under international law, a position Israel disputes.

In response, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar announced a series of measures against Britain, including the closure of its consulate in eastern Jerusalem, which serves Palestinians and employs 27 British diplomats. The closure and the revocation of the staff's diplomatic credentials was due to take effect on Thursday, October 8, 2026; dozens of locally employed staff have already been dismissed and the British diplomats are preparing to leave. Sa'ar's other measures included removing British representatives from the Gaza aid coordination center in Kiryat Gat, ending British involvement in training Palestinian Authority security forces in Judea and Samaria, and barring 12 British elected officials and other citizens from entering Israel over antisemitic or anti-Israel activity.

British officials were shocked by the measures and particularly angered that the consulate's diplomats were given only 30 days to leave, noting that Russia had given Britain four months to close its St. Petersburg consulate. Britain initially refrained from announcing retaliation, believing quiet diplomacy could persuade Israel to reverse course. British Ambassador to Israel Simon Walters has now informed Israeli officials that if the closure goes ahead, Britain will expel 27 diplomats from the Israeli Embassy in London — one for each British diplomat whose work in eastern Jerusalem is being terminated. Such a move would severely impair the embassy's ability to operate; the mission has been without an ambassador since Tzipi Hotovely returned to Israel in September 2025.

(YNN/VFI News)

“Our Father in Heaven, we pray in Yeshua's Name that You would give wisdom to Foreign Minister Sa'ar and Israel's leaders as they stand firm on Jerusalem. We ask You to soften hearts in London and to turn this confrontation toward understanding rather than escalation. Strengthen Israel's diplomats serving in Britain, and let Jerusalem remain united under Israel's care. We thank You that You are the One who watches over the city You chose.”

Pro-Palestinian groups are calling for a boycott of Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli's concert in November 2026 in the ancient Jordanian city of Petra over his public support of Israel. Bocelli, who has been blind since age 12, performed in 2022 at a stadium in Tel Aviv before an audience that included Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, ignoring pro-Palestinian activists' longstanding calls for a boycott of Israel.

Bocelli, 68, also sang in Los Angeles at a fundraiser for a group supporting the IDF in 2010, and in recent years has been a rare internationally known musician to perform for US President Donald Trump. In 2023, he sent a letter to freed hostage Yaffa Adar.

"We call on you to boycott Andrea Bocelli's concert because of his long-standing public support for the Israeli enemy… Do not buy tickets! Demand… the cancellation of the concert," the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement in Jordan, one of the joint signatories, declared. "It is unacceptable for Petra — one of the most iconic sites in Jordan and the Arab world — to become a platform for someone who has raised funds for the occupation army," BDS Jordan added.

(TOI/VFI News)

An extraordinary royal visit took place in Binyamin on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, as His Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III, King of the Warri Kingdom of Nigeria, arrived in the region as part of efforts to strengthen international ties with influential leaders across Africa. Israel Ganz, Governor of the Binyamin Regional Council and Chairman of the Yesha Council, hosted the king and his delegation at Psagot Winery before the delegation continued to Ancient Shiloh. King Atuwatse is the 21st Olu of Warri; his kingdom in Delta State, home to the Itsekiri people, has a history spanning more than 500 years.

Located in the heart of the Niger Delta, the Warri Kingdom is a major center of oil and gas activity, and the king has extensive experience in the energy sector, leading companies in infrastructure and maritime services. He arrived in Israel as part of a large international Christian delegation, and his visit to Binyamin is part of a broader effort led by Ganz to expand the circle of friends of the communities of Judea and Samaria. At the winery, Ganz presented the significance of the Binyamin region, the Jewish people's historic connection to the area, and its growth, and the delegation toured the cellars and sampled local wines. At Ancient Shiloh, Eliana Passentin of the council's International Desk presented the history of the site where the Tabernacle stood for centuries, the archaeological discoveries uncovered there, and Shiloh's central place in the biblical story of the Jewish people.

"The Land of the Bible draws leaders from around the world," Ganz said. "Those who come here, meet our residents, and visit Ancient Shiloh see firsthand the depth of the Jewish people's connection to their land. We are building partnerships and opening Binyamin to the world. We will continue expanding our circle of friends and translating these relationships into partnership and support for Israel and for the communities of Judea and Samaria."

(INN/VFI News)

"…In those days ten people from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, 'Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.'" – Zechariah 8:23

The suggestions, opinions, and scripture references made by VFI News writers and editors are based on the best information received.

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