Ofir Akunis made no attempt to sugarcoat the truth: Israel is the homeland of the Jewish people, and anyone who pretends otherwise is rewriting history to weaken a brave nation fighting for its survival. That clarity matters now more than ever, because the adults in the room must speak plainly when anti-Israel agitators and dishonest media try to erase centuries of Jewish ties to their land.
As Israel’s Consul General in New York, Akunis has been unapologetic and relentless in defending his country and its people, showing up in synagogues, at city events, and on the national stage to deliver a message of truth and resolve. He didn’t get this diplomatic post by accident; Israeli leaders picked him precisely because he is a fighter who understands advocacy, history, and the need for moral clarity in the public square.
At recent Hanukkah events Akunis gave voice to a timeless lesson conservatives understand instinctively: in the face of hatred and violence the menorah’s message endures — light always prevails over darkness. He reminded New Yorkers that Chanukah celebrates the courage to stand for truth and that leadership matters when mobs and chaos try to intimidate communities into silence.
Akunis has backed up words with action, running public campaigns — including high-profile displays in Times Square — to keep the world focused on the atrocities of October 7 and the urgent need to free hostages and defeat terror. That kind of muscular public diplomacy is exactly what friends of Israel in America should be demanding from their own leaders, not the weak-kneed hedging we see from select corners of the international community.
When Akunis calls Hamas “modern Nazis” and urges a global reckoning so the whole world hears the truth about their crimes, he is speaking for every decent person who refuses to normalize terror. Conservatives should be proud of diplomats who tell the hard truth: rewarding terrorists with recognition is not peacemaking — it is moral bankruptcy that emboldens more violence.
This Hanukkah message should be a clarion call for patriotic Americans to stand with Israel, demand our leaders stop coddling enemies, and speak up for the persecuted. Light prevails when decent people refuse to bow to bullies; let every American who cherishes liberty lift their voice with Ambassador Akunis and the brave Jews who keep that light burning.
