Air Canada has grounded a pilot after social media detectives revealed he posted a string of anti-Semitic messages across his various accounts, which have since been deleted. The outrage comes in the wake of Hamas’ brutal attack on Israel last weekend.
First Officer Mostafa Ezzo, who is based out of Montreal, even posted a photo showing him in his uniform with a Palestinian flag. Ezzo was piloting a B787 aircraft.
“We are aware of the unacceptable posts made by an Air Canada pilot. We take this matter very seriously, and he was removed from duty on Monday, October 9. We strongly condemn violence in all forms,’ Air Canada wrote in a post on X.
In a recent post, Ezzo promoted a pro-Palestinian protest in Montreal that took place on Sunday, the day after Hamas’ brutal assault on Israeli citizens began. “F*** you Israel, burn in hell,” he added to the post.
In other posts that circulated online, Ezzo referred to the Jewish state as a ‘terrorist (sic) state’ as well as posted a photo showing him holding a sign that read: ‘Israel, Hitler is proud of you.’
Air Canada stepped in and grounded Mostafa Ezzo when his anti-Israel social media posts were made clear
“Hitler is proud of you,” Izzo wrote on a poster he held up at a rally
Air Canada calls Izzo’s online activities ‘unacceptable’
An Air Canada spokesperson told the Toronto Sun that the airline took the action ‘because this individual’s opinions and publications on social media do not in any way represent Air Canada’s views.’
“This person has never been authorized to speak publicly while identifying themselves as an Air Canada employee,” he added.
The Sun adds in its report that Jewish passengers have complained to Air Canada, saying they would feel uncomfortable flying with a pilot who is openly hostile to them.
‘ALPA Canada, including the Air Canada Pilot Group, is aware of the situation and is incredibly saddened by the tragedies in the Middle East. We condemn all violence and hatred, and any promotion thereof. It is our firm expectation that all our members adhere to this principle and our professional code of ethics,” Airline Pilots Association Canada said in a statement about Ezzo.
Ezzo is an Egyptian Canadian who attended flight school at the Egypt Aviation Academy where his roommate and best friend was fellow student, Mohamed Mamdouh.
Mamdouh was the co-pilot on EgyptAir Flight 804 which sank in the Mediterranean Sea killing all on board in May 2016.
An Air Canada spokesperson told the Toronto Sun that the airline took the action “because this individual’s opinions and social media postings in no way represent Air Canada’s views.”
Ezzo is an Egyptian Canadian who attended flight school at the Egypt Aviation Academy
An investigation found that an on-board fire caused the crash, which was caused when one of the pilots started smoking a cigarette that ignited when exposed to leaking oxygen.
At the time of writing, Air Canada has suspended flights to Tel Aviv due to the ongoing violence in the country.
On Wednesday, airstrikes flattened entire city blocks in the small coastal enclave, leaving unknown numbers of bodies under piles of rubble.
The bombardment has continued even as militants hold an estimated 150 people snatched from Israel — soldiers, men, women, children and older adults.
Israel vowed unprecedented retaliation against the Hamas militant group that rules the Palestinian territory after its fighters stormed the border fence on Saturday and shot dead hundreds of Israelis in their homes, on the streets and at an outdoor music festival.
Since then, militants have continued to fire rockets at Israel, including a heavy barrage on the southern town of Ashkelon on Wednesday.
The war, which has already claimed at least 2,200 lives on both sides, is expected to escalate – and worsen the misery of people living in Gaza, where basic necessities and electricity have already been in short supply.