United Airlines Pilot's Praise for Hamas Sparks Fury: 'I Don't Feel Safe'

A United Airlines pilot expressed praise for Hamas militants amid the ongoing war with Israel, prompting backlash on social media with some users saying they don't feel safe flying with the airline.

On Monday, @StopAntisemites shared screenshots on X, formerly Twitter, showing United Airlines pilot Ibrahim R. Mossallam speaking about the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel.

"This is a resistance by a brave people who have endured decades of occupation, oppression, humiliation, apartheid, and straight up murder. This was not an unprovoked attack, but a response to this past years attacks by the Zionist regime," Mossallam said in the post.

On October 7, Hamas militants led a surprise attack on Israel, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announcing that his country was at war. Over the past several weeks, fighting between Hamas and Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has continued, while many across the globe have called for a cease-fire. There have been more than 12,000 casualties reported across both sides, the Associated Press reported on Tuesday.

"This pilot has been removed from service, with pay, while we look into this matter," a United Airlines spokesperson told Newsweek on Tuesday.

The post sparked criticism on social media.

Lawyer Jason Greenblatt, a former White House Middle East envoy, wrote on X: "For those who fly United [I do] we need answers about how we can feel safe in a [plane] flown by a pilot that said atrocities committed by Hamas on Oct 7 were "resistance by brave people". Spread the word folks & demand an answer from United.

A review of Mossallam's Facebook page shows that he has posted several other messages criticizing Israel.

"More bombs dropped on Gaza in 6 days than the US dropped in any month on anybody! Use your common sense, they are trying to ethically cleanse/ERASE a people. This is all Zionist ideology and is very deliberate and Biden is endorsing it!" Mossallam wrote in another post last month.

A number of other social media users responded to the posts, saying they didn't feel safe, while others criticized United Airlines.

Daniel S. Levi wrote on X: "Looks like I don't feel safe anymore flying United with guys like this. We'll always have American Airlines."

Mor Hogeg said: "@United I've been flying with you exclusively for the past 15 years. I'm a MileagePlus member. I am NEVER getting on another United flight until this pilot is fired! I do not feel safe flying with you anymore."

Dave Rubin said: "I will not get on another @United flight until this jihad sympathizer is canned. And that's not Cancel Culture, that's Sanity Culture."

Israel War Room wrote: "Hey @united, how about not hiring pilots who celebrate Israel's 9/11. We wouldn't get on a plane with him."

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