Air Canada pilot fired after anti-Israel social media posts

Pro-Palestinian rally in Montreal draws thousands More than 5,000 people took part in the largest pro-Palestinian rally in Montreal since the beginning of the war

An Air Canada pilot has been fired after he shared anti-Israel social media posts of himself during a protest in Montreal.

In a message posted Wednesday on X, formerly known as Twitter, the carrier said, "We can confirm the pilot in question no longer works for Air Canada, following the process initiated on Monday."

On Tuesday, the company said the employee was removed from service after it was made aware of the posts it described as "unacceptable."

The U.S.-based group StopAntiSemitism.org shared Instagram screenshots of a man identified as Mostafa Ezzo in pro-Palestinian colours while wearing his pilot uniform and holding a sign at a demonstration in Montreal that referenced Hitler.

One of the screenshots from an Instagram account allegedly belonging to Ezzo promoted the protest with the caption: "Burn in hell." Another post allegedly showed Ezzo holding a sign showing an Israeli flag being dumped into a trash can with the messaging: "Keep the world clean."

The social media accounts linked to Ezzo have since been deleted.

The union representing Air Canada pilots, the Air Line Pilots Association said in a statement on Tuesday that it was "incredibly saddened by the tragedies in the Middle East. We condemn all violence and hatred, and any promotion thereof."

It added: "It is our firm expectation that all of our members abide by this principle and our professional code of ethics."

The demonstration referenced in the posts was held in Montreal following the attacks by Hamas militants in Israel last weekend and that country's retaliatory military operation in Gaza.

The fighting has left at least 2,300 people dead on both sides of the conflict that entered its fifth day on Wednesday.