Delta removes employee from social media position and changes dress code after X post calling Palestinian flag terrifying

14.07.2024 - 00:43 / insider.com / Delta

Delta Air Lines has issued a public apology for a perceived anti-Palestinian social media post.

Earlier this week, a post on X shared images of two Delta flight attendants wearing Palestinian flag pins.

The post, which incorrectly equated the Palestinian flag to the militant group Hamas' flag, read: "Since 2001 we take our shoes off in every airport because a terrorist attack in US soil. Now imagine getting into a @Delta flight and seeing workers with Hamas badges in the air. What do you do?"

A since-deleted reply from Delta's official account said: "I hear you as I'd be terrified as well, personally. Our employees reflect our culture and we do not take it lightly when our policy is not being followed."

In a statement to The Washington Post on Thursday, Delta apologized for the incident and said it had taken action against the employee responsible for the airline's post, noting that the comment "was not in line with our values and our mission."

The employee responsible for the comment "has been counseled and no longer supports Delta's social channels," the airline added.

Edward Ahmed Mitchell, the national deputy executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), told The Post that the comment could make people think that the Palestinian flag is "an icon of a hate group."

"What happened with Delta is just the latest example of anti-Palestinian racism," Mitchell said. "And my hope is that this incident will begin to slowly, slowly move the needle in a different direction."

Azka Mahmood, an executive director from the CAIR chapter in Georgia, said that equating the Palestinian flag with Hamas "erases the existence and legitimacy of the entirety of Palestine," per CNN.

"The Palestinian flag represents a country and national aspirations of over 7 million Palestinians," she said."It is clear that some groups want to delegitimize the flag of Palestine entirely, suppress any expression of the existence of Palestine, and discourage open support for Palestinian rights."

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The CAIR said on X that it welcomed the apology from Delta and hoped that "it sends a message to those who continue to dehumanize the Palestinian people as they face genocide, ethnic cleansing and forced starvation imposed by the far-right Israeli government, and enabled by the Biden admin."

We welcome this apology and hope it sends a message to those who continue to dehumanize the Palestinian people as they face genocide, ethnic cleansing and forced starvation imposed by the far-right Israeli government, and enabled by the Biden admin. https://t.co/0f51mpKCJ5

Following the incident, Delta announced that starting Monday, only US flag pins would be permitted to be worn on its uniforms, per The Post.

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