Delta issues apology over tweet about employees' Palestinian pins

Delta Airlines issued an apology Thursday after the company's X account wrote the airline would also be "terrified" in response to a user who incorrectly said two flight attendants with Palestinian flag pins wore "Hamas badges."

A user on X with the handle posted two images of Delta Airlines workers wearing Palestinian pin flags on Tuesday, describing them as "Hamas badges" and referencing 9/11.

According to a screenshot of the since-deleted post, Delta's account on X responded, "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."

A Delta spokesperson on Thursday told The Hill the response was deleted "because it was not in line with our values and our mission to connect the world."

"The team member responsible for the post has been counseled and no longer supports Delta’s social channels," the spokesperson added. "We apologize for this error.”

The post drew online scrutiny, including from The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim advocacy organization, which called the airline's post "racist" and an example of "anti-Palestinian racism" on Wednesday.

CAIR said the since-deleted tweet was problematic because it agreed with "the false claim that a Palestinian flag pin won by a flight attendant was a 'Hamas badge.'"

The Palestinian flag consists of three horizontal stripes colored black, white and green, next to a red triangle on its left side. Hamas, a Palestinian militant and U.S.-designated terrorist group, bears a green flag that features the Shahada, an Islamic statement of faith, per the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism. 

Delta will shift its pin allowance policy starting July 15, a company spokesperson told The Hill.

Beginning then, only U.S. flags will be permitted to be worn on uniforms," the spokesperson said. "Previously, pins representing countries/nationalities of the world had been permitted."

“We are proud of our diverse base of employees and customers and the foundation of our brand, which is to connect the world and provide a premium experience.  We are taking this step to help ensure a safe, comfortable and welcoming environment for all," they added.

The incident marks the latest example of tensions overflowing from the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, where more than 38,000 people have been killed since early October, when Hamas launched a surprise assault in Israel that left 1,200 people dead.

The war's death toll and depleting humanitarian situation prompted protests beyond the Middle East, including on American college campuses, which led to the arrests of hundreds of student demonstrators.