- A Palestinian-American woman has alleged discrimination by employees of Israel’s flagship airline.
- According to her, airline employees removed half of her clothes and deleted her photos.
- The US Department of Transport is currently investigating the incident.
A Palestinian-American journalist who was denied boarding a flight from Newark to Tel Aviv in July has claimed that she was humiliated and discriminated against by employees of Israel’s flagship carrier.
The US Department of Transport has now initiated an investigation into the incident, as confirmed by Insider via email.
The investigation follows a complaint submitted by the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) on July 31, on behalf of passenger Noor Wazwaz. This complaint was filed less than two weeks after Wazwaz was denied boarding on an El Al Israel Airlines flight on July 18.
The complaint alleges that El Al, along with the US Transportation Security Agency, discriminated against Wazwaz, a US citizen, based on her Palestinian, Muslim, and Arab backgrounds, according to a news release by the ADC.
In a previous news release, the ADC stated that Wazwaz faced “serious discrimination and harassment,” including extensive and humiliating searches and questioning not experienced by other passengers.
On the day she was denied boarding, Wazwaz posted a video on X (formerly known as Twitter) recounting her experience. In the video, she highlighted the airline’s refusal to allow her to bring her laptop and chargers due to her Palestinian identity. She also claimed that an employee confirmed that her treatment was a result of being Palestinian.
Wazwaz further alleged that her laptop and shoes were flagged as potentially containing explosives, leading to additional screening. She described being subjected to a thorough pat-down and having her clothes, bag, and personal items swabbed.
Additionally, Wazwaz stated that an airline employee demanded to view and subsequently deleted her photos and videos taken during the incident.
After being denied boarding, Wazwaz was later rebooked on a United Airlines flight to Israel but faced additional screening upon arrival.
In a post on X, Wazwaz expressed the toll that the experience had taken on her physical and mental well-being.
As of now, El Al has not responded to Insider’s request for comment. The US Department of Transport has confirmed the ongoing investigation into the allegations of discrimination against the airline.
In a statement, Abed Ayoub, the ADC’s National Executive Director, emphasized the importance of respect and fair treatment during travel and regarded the investigation as a significant step towards upholding these values in the aviation sector.
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