Adi Nirman
Israel Hayom, Dec. 30, 2024
There isn’t a single detail in Syrian-Lebanese peace activist Rawan Osman’s story that isn’t striking, and at the top of the list stands her unwavering support for Israel. Born in Damascus to a Syrian father and Lebanese mother, the 40-year-old who grew up in a Hezbollah stronghold became a pro-Israeli activist overnight after Oct. 7, 2023. Since then, she has devoted herself to creating content for the Arab world, explaining the reality in Israel and challenging widespread Arab narratives while sharing her personal story, reaching millions across social media.
“Growing up in Lebanon, I was fond of Hezbollah, I thought they are heroes who save us whenever Israel attacks us,” she recalled. “I grew up in a very antisemitic surrounding. I’ve never seen a Jew or an Israeli until my mid-twenties when I moved to France and lived among Jews. And the first time I saw religious Jewish men, I had a panic attack.”
“A recovered antisemite”
That panic attack became a turning point. “That moment changed my life because I wanted to know, I’m not a fearful person – why did I behave this way? They didn’t even look at me. I realized it was becasue I was sharing the same space with a Jew – the enemy.” The warmth she encountered at that moment transformed her path. “Had those Jewish men reacted differently,” she reflected, “my life might have been completely different.” This experience led her to examine the beliefs that had caused her to view Jews as enemies, pushing her to research both regional and Jewish history. In stark contrast to the anti-Israeli environment of her upbringing, she now identifies herself as “a recovered antisemite.” ….SOURCE