In July 2024, Hezbollah fired a missile onto the Golan Heights that killed 12 Israeli-Druze children on a soccer field. This was the headline in the Washington Post next to a photo from the children’s funerals: Israel hits targets in Lebanon.That is how misinformation starts. These types of misleading headlines breathe life into the lies told about Israel and fan the flames of antisemitism on our campuses and beyond.
On Monday, our Hasbara Fellows visited the soccer field in the Druze village of Majdal Shams on the Golan Heights. We met with the father of 11-year old soccer field victim, Naji Halabi.
Mr. Halabi and other Druze community members thanked us for coming. They told us it’s heartening to know we in North America care, and he said he feels that the Druze community has become even closer to the Jewish people since the attack and since October 7.
I share this with you because people like the Halabi family are often overlooked, but they tell Israel’s story. These are the types of stories we need to tell on campus. Thanks to our community’s support, these students are equipped with this experience to go back to campus and stand up to antisemitism by telling this powerful part of Israel’s story.
With your help, we will continue to do so as we stand up for Israel in the fight against antisemitism on campus.
