Air Canada has suspended a pilot for social media posts that depict him attending pro-Palestinian demonstrations, wearing Palestinian colors on over his uniform and holding a sign associating Israel with Adolph Hitler. “We are aware of the unacceptable posts made by an Air Canada pilot,” the airline said in an X post on Tuesday. “We are taking this matter very seriously and he was taken out of service on Monday, Oct. 9. We firmly denounce violence in all forms.”
First Officer Mostafa Ezzo put up the posts on Monday, two days after Hamas troops crossed the border from the Gaza Strip into Israel, killing civilians and taking hostages. Ezzo identified himself as a Boeing 787 FO in his LinkedIn profile, which has since been deleted.
Hmmm… I don’t want to stir a hornets nest here but I wonder if he had been supporting Israel instead he would have got the same treatment? Just because the Western media does not report acts of violence against Palestinians perpetrated by the Israeli state does not mean they do not happen.
Any form of violence committed in the name of religion is fundamentally uncivilised and *wrong*. It is one thing to be prepared to die for one’s religious convictions; entirely another to be prepared to kill for them.
Well I don’t care either way, but since he made political statements while wearing his uniform then the people issuing the uniform can take it back if they have a problem.
If Israel were to put down their guns then the Hamas would kill every single Jew in Israel, including the Jewish babies as they did last Sat.
If the Hamas / Muslim radicals were to put down their guns there would be peace.
This has been going on since 1948 when the United Nations created the Nation of Israel when England no longer wanted it because it was and is a hornets nest. England conquered the Ottoman Turks in WW1 and took control of Palestine from 1917 to 1948 when they with the UN gave it to the Jewish people after the Holocaust.
History is important if you want to understand an issue.
And what I just wrote is only part of the story. For a deeper understanding you would go back to Mohammed and the Koran.
It’s not about Israel putting down their guns. It’s about Israel ending the 70+ years of illegal occupation, ethnic cleansing, home demolition, land grab etc. I don’t care what religion or nationality one is, if your people where as oppressed, I guarantee you’d be doing the same as Hamas.
Are you saying in affect that all people here in the USA should find other places to go as we surely have displaced the American Indian.
As noted, “Hopefully that is the end of this idiots career, both terrorist talk along with the murdering of civilians is not acceptable.” Genocide is a poor way of trying to get approval from rational people.
Whatever his position is wearing the uniform of his company limits his right to say and do while at work.
It’s been going on for centuries, which is why “support” for either side is rather pointless. Let them have the hell on earth that both sides have been working so hard and long for. I just hope that “we” are not stupid enough to join with either of these factions. Let them have their local wars; it’s what they do.
So right You’re Mr. William Bellinger.
Probably, because most companies don’t want their employees associating their images with either side of political battles.
But in this case, there is absolutely no sane comparison between the two sides, so maybe not.
But it’s a private company, so it should be their choice to protect and control their corporate identity.
Couldn’t agree more.
People in the airline industry know that if you are in the company uniform you don’t make public comments that involve the company in anything negative. He should have known better. He made his own bed, let him lie in it.
Concur!
Yep. That’s covered in the company manual, especially when in uniform. Heck management hated us wearing an ALPA pin lol.
Exactly!
IMO This has nothing to do with Ezzo’s position on the conflict. It has to do with wearing the uniform and conducting non-company tasks on public social media. Perhaps he is also one of those guys who thinks sterile cockpit is a joke and communicates on his phone while in sterile.
You don’t wear the uniform whether it’s military or company while “making statements”, for or against.
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I completely agree that as a professional (from whatever background) you should not involve your employer into your political views (I expect it’s in the contract of employment small print anyway) but… my question/observation still stands.
Due respect, but the guy was in his uniform, so he should have known better. Speculation on the state of our media is impossible.
If you fail to grasp the brazenly murderous acts committed against women children and infants deliberately by a known terrorist organization who celebrates such evil….. you have no business flying another human being much less being allowed anywhere near a commercial cockpit.
Hopefully that is the end of this idiots career.
Yep
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Suspended? If that’s all he gets, he’s lucky. I can think of a number of Employee Handbooks issued to me over the years that stated something along the lines of “Unprofessional conduct can be grounds for immediate termination” with little elaboration or specifics. If and when a situation came up, an offender was usually fired. He should get the same.
I agree.
Totally agree with NopeNotThat – whose first sentence succinctly summarizes how Hamas’ actions are completely different than Isriel’s approach. (e.g. one side’s goal is genocide, while the other side warns civilians of impending attacks). ALSO, after the 9/11 attacks – the flying public is understandably nervous about a pilot who supports the barbaric actions of Hamas as he might be the type to fly yet another plane into a building.
Obvious typo: Israel (not Isriel)
So Air Canada only suspended a pilot who supports Islamic terrorists who massacre innocent civilians, burn people alive and decapitate babies? This individual shouldn’t be anywhere near an airliners flight deck, much less be licensed to fly.
You better get with the program Canada before one of your diversity hires turns into a homicidal jihadist and we end up with a 787 slamming into a building filled with people.
Hi Tom. The IDF has killed more Palestinian babies than Hamas or any other terrorist group. But there is clearly a double-standard at play and us Westerners don’t want to acknowledge that because we fund it and back it up. So we’re complicit in it as well. Just another inconvenient truth
I’m not going to enter that debate because at this point, everything has been said, and neither side listens. No one’s opinions or facts seem to have effect.
What does matter here would be perception. The facts really do not matter, nor should they. Companies should be trying to stay out of these arguments, and not letting employees drag them into politics.
If you have any argument in favor of this guy it would be that the CEO’s and other corporate leaders also should not be getting the company into politics, and I’d bet dollars to donuts they have been doing just that.
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Russ, thank you for posting this story. In 2023 we cannot accept anti-semites.
Israeli’s do not equal Nazi’s. Anyone who exposes they are, have insufficient cognitive skills for an ATP license.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not about antisemitism. Please don’t conflate them. An antisemite May be pro-Palestinian but not necessarily vice versa.
Palestinians are semitic people. Gaza has been an open air prison for decades. Members of the Israeli government, the Israeli public and our own government are calling for Gaza to be “wiped off the map”, i.e. genocide. Preventing open expression and open discussion by canceling people and destroying livelihoods for expressing political differences is what amplifies and perpetuates a mess like this.
Why dont you go to Iran and stay there?
JACKALOP EPRESS: Wow! So Hamas’ current action is simply a form of expression?! Israel has been open to a 2 state solution for decades – and withdrew from Gaza (even forcing Israelis to move out, walking away from property and relocating Jewish cemeteries) in 2005. Has unfortunately become very clear that many Palestinians simply want to eliminate Israel/Jews at any cost – that is the definition of antisemitism. BTW: Why haven’t the surrounding Islamic countries welcomed Palestinians? BOTTOM LINE: You/your position has no credibility.
dbier: what you are describing is the song and dance Israeli Hasbara wants you to believe. Start doing some real research and be open to a different and more real perspective. Google Jewish Voice For Peace to get a different Jewish perspective on the problem.
Simple Indisputable Facts:
1) Hamas does not notify Israelis when they are about to attack so they can vacate the premises.
2) Israel does notify Palestinians when they are about to attack a building that is being used by Hamas (because Hamas uses its own civilians as human shields).
3) Israel has accepted the idea of a 2-state solution
4) The Palestinians have not – and have stated repeatedly that their goal is the genocide of the Jews.
Those facts speak volumes!
Just because you state they’re facts make them so?
How to blow a good gig in one click of the “post” button.
It is all about ” branding.” As Ron & Jerry Morris stated above.
” … most companies don’t want their employees associating their images with either side of political battles.
…it’s a private company, so it should be their choice to protect and control their corporate identity.”
The suspension of the pilot from Air Canada operations raises concerns beyond company protocol. The issue extends globally, involving intimidation and the spreading of tentacles of fear reminiscent of 9/11. The public perception that a Hamas follower is at the controls is not reassuring.