JetBlue Airways changes Israel's borders and name to 'Palestinian Territories'

American airline JetBlue Airways has updated their in-flight map to show the words "Palestinian Territory" in significantly larger text than the word "Israel," to the point where it is overlaid on the entire state of Israel, N12 reported Tuesday evening.

Hodaya Knafo, an Israeli woman studying in the United States, told N12 that she was on a domestic flight from Miami to San Diego when she tried to show another passenger where Israel was located on her seat’s personal screen. "The label was prominently displayed in a way that didn't seem innocent,” she said, and additionally, the borders were incorrect."

According to the map, Israel’s northern border does not include the Golan Heights.

“It happens often that the word Israel creates a dialogue,” Knafo said, “I wanted to show him where Israel is located on the map on the plane's screens. When I saw the map, I was shocked." 

Knafo told N12 that she had intended to show the man next to her how small Israel is, especially compared to the interest it generates.

JetBlue’s borders

Along with the removal of the Golan Heights, "They don't show a division of the West Bank, so it doesn't seem like that's what they meant by the 'Palestinian Territory' label.” Knafo continued, “Also, I think this is new because I don't remember seeing something like this on previous flights."

In light of the global rise in antisemitism, affecting Israeli students, Jews, and even supporters of Israel on campuses across America, Knafo emphasized to N12 that the change in JetBlue's display of Israel and the Golan Heights has deeply upset her, "It's really, quite annoying and frustrating to see this after the year we've been through.” She said, “I'm returning to my studies in a month, and I already know that I'm returning to a battlefield."