On the morning of Shabbat, Oct. 7, Hamas terrorists invaded Israel, murdering, torturing and raping more than 1,200 men, women and children, including babies, and kidnapping 240 more.
The tragic events reminded the world of the existential threats Israel faces.
Speaking as the spokesperson for the Israeli consulate in New York, these attacks were pivotal in shaping my perspective on America’s current and future public opinion toward Israel.
The scale and brutality of Hamas’ Oct. 7 actions have made it unmistakably clear to the world the grave dangers Israel contends with.
The attacks have garnered widespread condemnation of Hamas and bolstered support for Israel from democratic nations, notably the United States.
Leaders from the president to members of Congress to local officials have unequivocally supported Israel’s right to self-defense and hostage-rescue efforts.
In contrast, authoritarian regimes like Iran and Russia have, predictably, shown support for Hamas.
But as Israel began its justified and globally backed mission to remove those seeking to commit a second Holocaust, a concerning shift in the narrative, especially among young Americans, became apparent.
Accusations of disproportionate response and even genocide surfaced, overlooking Israel’s extensive efforts to avoid civilian casualties — efforts unparalleled in military history.
These include disseminating millions of leaflets to warn civilians of impending attacks and establishing evacuation routes.
Ground operations, preferred over airstrikes to minimize civilian harm, have tragically resulted in more than 100 Israeli soldier fatalities.
While these efforts can’t erase the sorrow of civilian losses in Gaza, Hamas’ tactic of integrating military assets within civilian areas plays a significant role in this tragedy.
Discussions about Israel’s tactics are necessary, but labeling them genocidal is baseless and harmful.
Disturbingly, a recent Harvard poll reveals an unsettling change in young Americans’ perceptions: A majority now believes Israel should be dismantled in favor of Hamas.
Even more troubling is the larger proportion — more than two-thirds of those aged 18 to 24 — that views Jews globally as “oppressors.”
This trend, where anti-Zionism frequently serves as a façade for antisemitism, is gaining ground.
Increasingly, young activists are rallying behind Hamas’ harmful propaganda, often without fully grasping the gravity of their words.
Their chant “From the river to the sea” reflects either a worrying ignorance of the historical and geographical context of this slogan or, more alarming, a deliberate endorsement of its underlying intent to erase the world’s only Jewish state.
This moral lapse extends beyond Israel and Jewish issues.
Platforms like TikTok often feature content supporting entities antagonistic to American values, including authoritarian regimes and terrorist groups.
Some even go so far as justifying Osama bin Laden’s 9/11 attacks.
It reflects a broader issue: a lack of understanding and coherence.
Many young Americans champion causes for sexual, racial and religious minorities yet overlook that regimes they support often oppress these same groups.
Conversely, Israel is a beacon for LGBTQ+ rights, racial diversity and religious freedom.
But the pursuit of viral content on social media often trumps coherence, and your best chance of going viral is saying something shocking. Incoherence is almost the point.
While some of these messages may stem more from genuine ignorance than opportunistic clout-chasing, the ridiculousness of saying “Cease-fire now” today and “Globalize the intifada” tomorrow is clear to almost everyone.
Contributing to this disconnect among young Americans is their lack of historical knowledge, especially about events like the Holocaust, skewing their perception of conflicts like Israel’s situation in Gaza.
This issue is exacerbated by their reliance on social-media platforms, where simplified, sometimes biased presentations lead to misinformation.
The academic shift toward intersectionality further influences young minds, emphasizing victim-oppressor narratives that oversimplify complex issues — as seen in university presidents’ recent congressional testimonies, reflecting a reluctance to address serious issues like the call for the genocide of Jews.
The emerging blindness of American youth toward Israel and Jews is alarming.
If young Americans hold such views about one of America’s closest allies and the only democracy in the Middle East, it signals a shift away from the values of freedom and liberalism that define America.
Israel’s story is one of self-reliance, democracy and moral integrity amidst immense challenges.
Yielding to moral relativism endangers not only Israel but all Western societies founded on these principles.
Cultivating an informed understanding of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is crucial for American youth.
The enduring alliance between the United States and Israel, founded on shared values of democracy and human rights, necessitates informed engagement from the next generation of American leaders.
In an era where social media often reduce complex issues to simplistic narratives, it’s imperative that young Americans seek deeper, more accurate insights.
Fostering educated, open dialogue is vital for the strength of the US-Israel relationship and for upholding the core values of American society.
Itay Milner is consul for media affairs and spokesperson at the consulate general of Israel in New York.
This story originally appeared on NYPost
