What happened
A United Airlines pilot who expressed support for Hamas terrorists has been removed from service pending a review. The pilot, Capt. Ibrahim R. Mossallam, was initially suspended with pay in November 2023 after posting comments that referred to the terrorists as “brave people” and blamed the “Zionist regime” for a massacre.
Mossallam was reportedly allowed to return to flying six months later, but has now been pulled from service again after the incident was reported. The airline has stated that it is conducting an ongoing review of the situation.
The incident has raised concerns about the screening process for pilots, particularly in light of a recent attempted terrorist hijacking of a Flydubai flight. The Omani co-pilot in that incident had published antisemitic posts on social media before the attack.
Mossallam has continued to make anti-Israel comments on social media, including a post that stated Israel's plan was to steal land from Palestine. He is also listed as a board member of the New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).
