Tel Aviv, Oct. 1 -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday hailed the passengers who courageously intervened to subdue the co-pilot during the flydubai flight FZ1073 incident, announcing that they will light a torch of civic heroism on Israel's Independence Day.

Meeting with Yaniv Hayun, Or Pardilov, Dr. Shota Musayev, and his wife Sigalit at his office in Jerusalem, Prime Minister Netanyahu heard their harrowing first-hand testimony about the mid-air struggle inside the flight deck to prevent the airliner from crashing.

"The entire world sees the Israeli heroism. You will light a torch of civic heroism on Independence Day," Prime Minister Netanyahu told the passengers, according to Israeli PMO, praising them for demonstr...