JetBlue Airways' in-flight map ignites concerns over bias against Israel

Map shows 'Palestinian Territories' in noticeably larger font than 'Israel'

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A recent passenger on a JetBlue Airways flight expressed concern that the airline company was biased against Israel, due to apparent changes to its in-flight map, she said in an interview with Israeli news outlet N12.

Hodaya Knafo, an Israeli woman studying in the United States, told N12 that the words “Palestinian Territories” appeared in a noticeably larger font than “Israel” on the in-flight map, despite Israel's significantly larger land area.

The “Palestinian Territories” label, N12 reported, covered the entire land of Israel.

“The label was prominently displayed in a way that didn't seem innocent,” she said.

Knafo also informed N12 that the map did not include the Golan Heights.

The Golan Heights have been under Israeli control since the Six-Day War in 1967, and were effectively annexed through the Golan Heights Law in 1981.

The plateau was recognized as Israeli territory by the United States following a decision made by former U.S. President Donald Trump in 2019.

This recognition has not been reversed by the Biden administration. Currently, the U.S. is the only country besides Israel to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights.

“I think this is new because I don't remember seeing something like this on previous flights," Knafo said, referring to the in-flight map.

She said this was particularly concerning due to the widespread anti-Israel sentiment she has witnessed during her time in the U.S. since Oct. 7.

“It's really, quite annoying and frustrating to see this after the year we've been through. I'm returning to my studies in a month, and I already know that I'm returning to a battlefield.”