Fighting Hate One Person at a Time

Standing Strong for Israel

If you were to look at my screen time statistics, you would probably think I am pathetic. More than four hours a day online. But that screen time is not spent watching videos or scrolling endlessly through social media.

It is spent defending Israel.

It is spent creating memes about Israel. Writing articles. Answering messages. Moderating discussions. Managing several online platforms connected to my foundation, Time To Stand Up For Israel.

Especially on LinkedIn.

LinkedIn remains the platform where I have built the largest audience, despite the fact that followers seem to disappear constantly. While managing the company page of Time To Stand Up For Israel, something interesting caught my attention.

First, let me explain why I moderate so actively.

Our Articles of Association clearly state that we safeguard the truth. If I knowingly allow antisemites, anti Zionists, or even people openly glorifying Nazi ideology to spread lies and hatred under our posts, then I would be violating the very principles upon which our foundation was built.

Truth matters.

Facts matter.

And allowing hate to flourish unchallenged is not neutrality. It is surrender.

While moderating these discussions on a daily basis, I noticed something peculiar. A very large percentage of the people posting hateful comments appeared to be seeking employment.

That observation made me curious.

Is there still hope for the world? Do companies actually refuse to tolerate hatred?

I found that difficult to believe because I have witnessed the opposite. I was frequently told to clean up my social media profiles before applying for jobs. Yet many of these individuals openly spread hatred while simultaneously looking for employment.

So what explains it?

Do they simply have more free time and become obsessed with hating a people and a country?

I find that hard to imagine.

Are they less informed? Less critical? Are they consuming endless streams of propaganda on TikTok and Instagram and accepting it as truth?

Perhaps the so called TikTok generation plays a role.

I am naturally curious, so I started looking into where antisemitism and hatred of Israel appear most frequently in society.

The conclusion was surprising.

There is no conclusion.

Antisemitism is ancient. It has survived empires, revolutions, technological progress, scientific advancement, and social change. It seems to adapt itself to every era and every society.

If I look around the Netherlands, I see antisemitism among university professors and cleaners. Among gardeners and office managers. Among highly educated people and among those with little education. It appears across all layers of society.

Yet during my journey, I have had the honor of getting to know two remarkable Israeli men.

Both are extraordinarily intelligent.

Both served in very senior positions within the military and Israeli intelligence.

Both have been highly successful in business after their military careers.

But what impresses me most is not their intelligence, nor their achievements.

It is their character.

The wisdom these men possess is extraordinary.

The passion they have for life is inspiring.

The compassion they show toward people is remarkable.

And perhaps most surprising of all, the love and care they demonstrate for animals is something that continues to amaze me.

These are men who fought for Israel.

They risked everything for Israel.

If necessary, they will kill for Israel.

Yet they do so within the highest moral boundaries imaginable.

In these men, I feel no hatred.

I feel no evil.

I feel no desire to exclude others.

I see strength without cruelty.

Conviction without fanaticism.

Patriotism without hatred.

Perhaps that is why I have always felt at home in Israel.

Because if there are two men like this, there must be thousands more.

That does not mean every Israeli is perfect.

No nation consists entirely of saints.

Israel has its share of ignorant people and bad people, just like every other country.

But overall, the Israeli spirit is something truly remarkable.

And if I were a soldier and had to fight under the command of either of these men, I would do so without a second of hesitation.

Perhaps that helps explain why the Israeli military has been so successful.

But back to my original question.

Where does antisemitism come from?

The research provides some fascinating insights.

The Anti Defamation League’s Antisemitic Attitudes in America 2024 survey found that antisemitic beliefs have become significantly more widespread in the United States. Approximately 24 percent of Americans were classified as holding extensive antisemitic prejudice.

One of the most striking findings was that younger generations scored higher on antisemitic attitudes than older generations. Millennials and Generation Z endorsed antisemitic stereotypes more frequently than Generation X and Baby Boomers, reversing a historical pattern.

The survey also found that traditional conspiracy theories about Jewish influence remain surprisingly common.

At the same time, many people who expressed antisemitic stereotypes still supported the right of Jews to have their own state. In other words, prejudice and support for Jewish self determination can exist side by side.

European research paints a similar picture.

Among Jewish respondents surveyed by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, 96 percent reported encountering antisemitism within the previous year.

Eighty percent believed antisemitism had increased over the previous five years.

Ninety percent encountered antisemitism online.

Three quarters felt blamed for actions of the Israeli government simply because they were Jewish.

More than half experienced antisemitism in everyday offline life.

One of the most important findings from European studies is that antisemitism cannot be explained by social class alone.

It is not confined to the poor.

It is not confined to the rich.

It is not confined to the educated or uneducated.

It appears across political ideologies, ethnic backgrounds, and social classes.

Research shows that some groups display higher average levels of antisemitic attitudes than others, but no single explanation adequately explains the phenomenon.

So where does that leave us?

After years of activism, thousands of conversations, and countless hours spent defending Israel online, I have reached one conclusion.

People desperately want to belong.

They want to be part of a group.

Part of a herd.

And within many groups today, antisemitism and anti Zionism have become social glue. Shared hostility creates a sense of belonging.

Social media amplifies it.

TikTok amplifies it.

Instagram amplifies it.

Algorithms reward outrage and tribalism.

Yet something interesting happens when you remove the crowd.

When you speak to people individually.

One on one.

Without the pressure of the group.

Without the applause of the mob.

Many become more reasonable.

More open.

More willing to listen.

More willing to question what they have been told.

That is why I believe the most effective weapon against antisemitism is not shouting at crowds.

It is reaching individuals.

One person at a time.

One conversation at a time.

One truth at a time.

That is how minds change.

That is how hatred loses.

And that is why I will continue spending those four hours a day online.

Because Israel is worth defending.

The truth is worth defending.

And every single person reached is a victory.