United Airlines Reviews Pilot’s Anti-Israel Posts After Reinstatement
United Airlines is reviewing a pilot’s social media posts after he was reinstated following a suspension linked to anti-Israel comments.
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United Airlines has suspended a pilot, Capt. Ibrahim R. Mossallam, pending an investigation into his social media posts that praised Hamas and criticized Israel. The airline confirmed the suspension to The Daily Wire, following reports that Mossallam had been quietly reinstated after his initial suspension in November 2023.
Anti-Israel Comments Spark Outcry
Mossallam, who is listed on the New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), posted on October 7, 2023, cheering Hamas’ attack on Israel, calling the attack “resistance” by people who had endured “occupation, oppression, humiliation, apartheid, and straight up murder.” He referred to the terrorists as “brave people” and blamed the “Zionist regime” for the massacre.
The posts drew condemnation from Jewish organizations and communities, who demanded United fire Mossallam. While the airline initially suspended him and investigated, it continued to pay him during the process. Channel 14 reported that higher-ups at United wanted to fire Mossallam, but his union intervened to protect him. Mossallam returned to the cockpit six months after his suspension, according to Channel 14.
Continued Anti-Israel Rants
In the years since, Mossallam has continued his anti-Israel rhetoric on social media, including a post stating, “Their plan [Israel’s] was never to stop the theft of land. Were it not for the Palestinian resistance and the awakening of the world, all of Palestine would already have been taken.”
Security Concerns Over Pilot Screening
The renewed scrutiny of United follows the September 30 attempted terrorist hijacking of Flydubai Flight FZ1073, in which an Omani co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain and tried to crash the plane with 174 people on board. Israeli passengers and crew, after the pilot managed to open the door, got into the cockpit and subdued the co-pilot, and off-duty pilots traveling aboard landed the jet safely in Saudi Arabia.
Before the attempted hijacking, the Omani pilot had published antisemitic posts on social media, along with posts advocating for violence against women. The incident has raised concerns, especially in Israel, about how pilots are being screened before they’re allowed to fly into the country. The recent report on United’s pilot has now added to those concerns.
Source: Daily Wire
