[News] Emirates pilot suspended for refusing to fly to Israel

[Anti-Imperialist News]

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210113-emirates-pilot-suspended-for-refusing-to-fly-to-israel/
Emirates
pilot suspended for refusing to fly to Israel
January 13, 2021
------------------------------

Emirates airline has suspended a Tunisian pilot for refusing to fly to
Israel. Moneem Saheb Tabaa confirmed the suspension on his Facebook page,
which he has since closed.

"God is [the] only [one] who takes care of me…" said Tabaa. "I do not
regret it." The pilot is suspended pending a formal hearing.

As news of his suspension spread across social media, many activists
denounced Dubai-based Emirates and praised Tabaa for his defiant stance in
opposing last year's normalisation deals between Israel and several Arab
states. The UAE
<https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200813-uae-israel-agree-to-normalise-relations/>
was the first of the recent states to establish diplomatic ties with
Israel, along with Bahrain
<https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200911-israel-bahrain-fully-normalise-diplomatic-relations/>,
Sudan
<https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20201023-trump-announces-sudan-normalising-ties-with-israel/>
and, more recently, Morocco
<https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20201210-morocco-builds-ties-with-israel-in-return-for-recognition-of-its-authority-over-western-sahara/>
.

Tunisia has maintained consistently that it has no intention of following
suit and normalising with the occupation state. In a statement late last
year, the Tunisian foreign ministry said, "As Tunisia respects the
sovereign positions of other countries, it affirms that its stance is
principled, and changes in the international scene will never affect it."

Upon being elected in 2019, Tunisia's President Kais Saied
<https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20191024-new-tunisia-president-palestine-is-engraved-in-our-hearts/>
said that Palestine is engraved in the hearts of Tunisians and that,
"Palestine is not a lot of land which is registered as real estate."

Following Morocco's normalisation with Israel, the Speaker of the Tunisian
Parliament, and head of Ennahda Movement, Rached Ghannouchi
<https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20201221-ghannouchi-says-moroccos-normalisation-with-israel-violates-arab-consensus/>,
said, "We were shocked by this step, which contradicted the Arab consensus
as expressed by the Arab Peace Initiative. We support the rights of the
Palestinian people in accordance with the principle of Arab and Muslim
brotherhood as well as international law."

Both Tunisia and Algeria have prevented
<https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20201224-reports-tunisia-algeria-prevent-israel-airplane-from-using-their-airspaces-to-morocco/>
Israeli aircraft from using their airspace for flights to and from Morocco,
forcing them to take an indirect route via Europe. Israeli airlines began
operating direct flights between Tel Aviv and the UAE in August. Etihad
Airways was the first UAE airline to fly to Israel, carrying medicine bound
for Palestine. According to Israeli news website *Globes*
<https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-emirates-plans-tel-aviv-dubai-flights-from-february-1001355844>,
Emirates is expected to launch its flights from Dubai to Tel Aviv next
month.

*READ: Tunisia: 'We reject normalising relations with Israel, our position
will not be affected by international developments'
<https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20201224-tunisia-we-reject-normalising-relations-with-israel-our-position-will-not-be-affected-by-international-developments/>*
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