The hijacker tried to kill them. The memes accidentally humanized them
Something changed this past fall weekend. The temperature dropped. The air turned crisp. And, for a fleeting moment, something shifted in the way people talked about Israel.
TL;DR
- A Flydubai flight en route to Tel Aviv was the scene of a hijacking attempt by a co-pilot, which was thwarted by the captain and passengers.
- Following the incident, online memes began to humanize Israelis, shifting focus from political stereotypes to individual acts of courage.
- The article argues that criticism of Israeli policy should not devolve into prejudice against Israelis or Jews, stressing the importance of seeing individuals beyond monolithic political categories.
- It criticizes figures like New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani for their silence on the flight incident, suggesting it indicates a reluctance to acknowledge Israelis as victims or individuals.
- The piece concludes by emphasizing that before 'Israel,' there are 'Israelis'—people with diverse backgrounds, opinions, and contradictions, capable of both courage and flaws.