New heroes fly Israel’s flag in info war

A well-known Johannesburg rebbetzin confided that she harboured a “sort of crush” on British political commentator Douglas Murray, and secretly wished she had invited him for Shabbat dinner when he visited South Africa.

The reason for her admiration? His unwavering moral clarity and the fearless way he spoke out for Israel in the aftermath of the 7 October Hamas massacre. Murray’s powerful stance stood out as a beacon of truth and conviction. Most of all, it offered comfort, she said.

Since the outbreak of war many people, some more likeable than others, have gained global recognition for standing up for Israel even as global sentiment turned against it.

Murray has unflinchingly cut through the moral ambiguity often used in public discourse surrounding the war, saying, “Hamas isn’t just some plucky underdog; it’s a genocidal terrorist organisation.”

Before the war, no-one had heard of Eylon Levy, the former spokesperson for the Israeli government. He has since emerged as one of Israel’s most steadfast defenders. “Israel didn’t want this war,” Levy has said repeatedly, showing an ability to dissect complex geopolitical issues while remaining emotionally connected to the plight of Israeli citizens.

New York comedian Michael Rapaport has been a forceful advocate for Israel. Known for his outspokenness, Rapaport has used his brash, unfiltered persona to bring attention to the atrocities on social media, angrily questioning the world’s reaction, saying, “Where’s your outrage? Where’s your disgust for what happened to those people?”

Likewise, British comedian Lee Kern’s words often deliver a sharp, emotional punch. “We’re not asking for sympathy. We’re asking for decency. What happened on 7 October is beyond politics, this is about human lives being torn apart. And yet, the world can’t even muster a word of condemnation,” he said

He posted on X, “If this were happening anywhere else, the world would be outraged. But since it’s Israel, it’s apparently ‘complicated’. Well, it’s not complicated. It’s evil.”

Arab-Israeli Joseph Haddad and former Miss Iraq Sarah Idan were public figures before 7 October, but their influence has grown further since then.

“Israel is on our side. They are on the side of the oppressed, they are on the side of the minority because they know what it is like to be a minority,” said Idan in reference to the recent saving of a 21-year-old Yazidi woman rescued by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) from Gaza, where she had been held captive by Hamas for years after being trafficked by ISIS (Islamic State).

Israeli actress and activist Noa Tishby has taken to social media to share graphic details about the abduction and killing of innocent civilians and regularly criticising media outlets for their biased portrayal of Israel. “It’s time to call Hamas for what it is – a brutal terrorist organisation with no regard for human life,” she said.

Bari Weiss, a journalist and the founder of The Free Press, is another unapologetic voice. Weiss has taken aim at progressive intellectuals and media outlets that try to paint Hamas as “freedom fighters”.

“The world saw, in horrific detail, what Hamas did. To then twist that into some anti-colonial narrative isn’t just dishonest, it’s dangerous,” she said.

Sheryl Sandberg, the former chief operating officer of Facebook, has pivoted toward public advocacy for Israel, particularly through producing and directing the film Screams Before Silence, which exposed the horrific experiences of female Israeli victims of terrorism.

Former IDF intelligence officer and Knesset member Einat Wilf has gone head-to-head with some of Israel’s harshest critics from the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions coalition, consistently defending Israel’s right to self-defence while highlighting the dangers of Hamas’s genocidal charter. Since 7 October, she has redoubled her efforts, pointing out that “the international media’s attempt to whitewash terrorism isn’t just morally wrong, it’s lethal”.

Hillel Neuer, the executive director of UN Watch, has been one of the most vocal critics of the United Nations and its agencies, particularly UNRWA (the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East).

Professor Shai Davidai has become a vocal advocate for combating antisemitism on college campuses. “We cannot allow a situation where Jewish students feel unsafe on their campuses simply because they identify with Israel,” he famously repeated.

Mosab Hassan Yousef, also known as the son of a founding member of Hamas, and well-known before 7 October, has continued to be one of the most powerful defenders of Israel. “I know Hamas from the inside,” he said. “They are a death cult. Their goal is the complete destruction of Israel, and the annihilation of every Jew.”

Lieutenant-Colonel Jonathan Conricus, the spokesperson for the IDF, has become a well-known face worldwide, delivering clear, consistent messaging about the moral imperative of Israel’s fight against its enemies. “This isn’t a war we asked for, but it’s a war we must win. The people of Israel deserve to live without the constant threat of annihilation,” he said.

Rachel Goldberg-Polin, the mother of Hersh, 23, who was abducted and recently murdered by Hamas, has channelled her pain into activism, calling for international pressure on Hamas to return the hostages. She has become the human face of the trauma experienced by countless families.

There are many others including South Africa’s Gareth Cliff; Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie; South African Friends of Israel Spokesperson Bafana Modise; podcasters such as Dan Senor and Sam Harris; broadcasters such as Chris Cuomo, who said this week, “There’s only one enemy in this situation, and it ain’t Israel, it’s Iran”; and human rights attorney, author, and the founder of the Lawfare Project, Brooke Goldstein. The list goes on.

President Isaac Herzog is a figure of immense humility and leadership. Since the attacks, Herzog hasn’t just been a moral compass for Israelis, but a voice of compassion and unity. “This isn’t just a war for Israel’s survival; this is a war for the very soul of humanity,” he said.

In a world where the loudest voices often drown out the truth, these individuals are a beacon of hope for those who feel isolated in the struggle to defend the Jewish state.