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A multi-faith Israeli delegation, including Druze, Christian and Jewish IDF veterans, as well as bereaved families from the Gaza war, visited university campuses across Australia to share their personal stories and showcase the diversity of Israeli society. However, pro-Palestinian protesters aggressively demonstrated against delegation members.
At the University of Sydney, protesters gathered with signs denouncing “IDF soldiers on campus,” seemingly unaware that many members of the visiting delegation were not Jewish—and, in fact, challenged the very stereotypes the demonstrators appeared intent on reinforcing.
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Protesters demonstrate against delegation members
(ISRAEL-is)
Gideon Abbas, a Druze fighter who lost his brother during battles in Gaza, said, "I am Druze, I am Israeli and I lost my brother in this war. It hurts to see people shouting at me without knowing anything about who I am or what I’ve been through. I came to talk, not to fight."
Shiran, the delegation leader from the advocacy group ISRAEL-is, added, "We came to talk on an equal footing, not to argue. The participants' stories speak for themselves – they authentically reflect Israel’s true and diverse reality, challenging the narrative protesters are trying to create."
Among the delegation members were also Odelia, a Christian combat veteran from Ma'alot who lost her brother at the beginning of the war, and Anthony, the son of a family of South Lebanon Army veterans, a medical student in Sydney who grew up in Israel and joined the delegation to explain what is really happening at home.
The delegation traveled to Australia as part of an initiative by ISRAEL-is, which works to improve Israel’s image globally through the personal stories of young Israelis. Delegation members bring with them the diverse voices of Israeli society – religious and secular, Jewish and Arab, soldiers and graduates of civilian service – and participate in meetings with students, communities and government officials worldwide. They aim to foster a sincere, non-patronizing dialogue based on personal connections rather than slogans.
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One of the organization's most prominent projects this past year has been testimonies presented through VR – a virtual reality experience showcasing accounts of survivors from the October 7 terror attack. Using advanced and emotionally stirring technology, the organization manages to bring these voices to audiences worldwide in a direct way that elicits strong emotional reactions, even from hostile audiences.
Alongside the protests, meaningful conversations were held with students, meetings took place with parliament members and public figures and open discussions were conducted with local communities. The events were held under heightened security but with a genuine desire to meet and converse, even when it wasn’t easy.
The organizers highlight the irony: "Protesters label Israel as an 'apartheid state' and then attack non-Jewish young people who represent Israel's diversity and complexity and who themselves fight for its existence. This isn’t just absurd – it’s a missed opportunity to engage in the very dialogue they claim to promote."