Paris, 16 January 2021

Wiesenthal Centre Director for International Relations, Dr. Shimon Samuels, commended Emirates Airlines CEO, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, for suspending a pilot who refused to fly a plane to Israel.

The Tunisian pilot, Monem Sahib al-Taba, stated on his Facebook page that, pending a disciplinary committee, “I do not regret it... for refusing to participate in a flight to Tel Aviv."

“Emirates has shown its goodwill in the spirit of the Abraham accords and the normalization of relations with Israel. In Hebrew, KOL HA’KAVOD (All the Honour) to the airline!” concluded Samuels.