Israel is not abandoned: Record-breaking numbers reveal a global movement of support - opinion

OCTOBER 26, 2026 16:00For months, the headlines have told us that the younger generation is turning against Israel. We have watched images of campus protests, heard the chants of hostility, and been told repeatedly that the next generation has abandoned the Jewish people.But on October 7, something extraordinary happened. Something the headlines could not ignore. Something that shattered the narrative.On the third anniversary of the October 7 massacre, Friends of Zion sponsored a record-breaking 24-hour global broadcast that reached more than 250 million people across 167 countries.At a time when Israel faces relentless attacks on its legitimacy, and the Jewish people continue to endure a rising tide of antisemitism, millions of people around the world chose to watch, listen, pray, and stand with Israel.Mike Evans, founder of the Friends of Zion Heritage Center in Jerusalem. (credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)The broadcast reached more than 3.8 million people in Syria, 1.2 million in Egypt, and 1.1 million in Algeria. In Brazil, the broadcast reached more than 8.5 million people, following a public appeal by Senator Flávio Bolsonaro encouraging Brazilians to watch.Let that sink in. Millions of people in nations where public support for Israel can be politically complicated were exposed to a message of solidarity, remembrance, and hope.This was not a small gathering preaching to the choir. It was a global declaration that the Jewish people is not alone.The numbers tell a different storyPerhaps one of the most significant findings was the age of the audience. Some 59.8% of the social media audience was between the ages of 25 and 34.We have been told that young adults have turned their backs on Israel and that support for the Jewish state is destined to disappear. Yet this global initiative reached tens of millions of people through social media, with a substantial share of its audience among younger adults.We must be careful not to confuse the loudest voices with the majority, or viral outrage with the convictions of an entire generation. A protest does not speak for every student. A hashtag does not represent every young adult. And the most hostile voices on social media do not have the final word on the future of Israel.The October 7 broadcast demonstrated that a significant global audience remains willing to engage with a message of support for Israel and remembrance of the victims of terrorism.The battle for the next generation is not over. In fact, it may be one of the most important battles we face.A generation worth fighting forThe numbers from this broadcast should challenge every pastor, parent, educator, and Christian leader.We must meet the next generation where they are, communicate with clarity, tell the truth with courage, and equip them to recognize antisemitism even when it is disguised as fashionable political rhetoric.We cannot surrender the universities. We cannot abandon social media. We cannot allow the next generation to learn the history of Israel exclusively from those who deny the Jewish people’s history, distort the facts, or excuse terrorism.We must offer something stronger than slogans: truth supported by history, conviction grounded in faith, and a vision of human dignity that refuses to dehumanize the Jewish people.The Friends of Zion initiative demonstrated what can happen when technology, media, faith, and a clear moral purpose converge. A message that began with a commitment to remember and stand with Israel crossed borders, reached millions, and entered conversations around the world.That is a foundation on which we must build.The future is not written by the headlinesI have spent decades working to mobilize Christians to stand with Israel. I have learned that history is not changed by those who wait for public opinion to become comfortable. History is changed by those who stand for what is right when doing so is difficult.The record-breaking reach of this October 7 broadcast should encourage us, but it should also challenge us. We cannot assume that millions of views automatically translate into millions of committed advocates. We must turn awareness into education, education into conviction, and conviction into action.We must continue building bridges between Christians and Jews, training young ambassadors, confronting antisemitism, and ensuring that the next generation understands both the historical and biblical significance of Israel.The enemies of Israel want us to believe that the world has turned away, that the younger generation is beyond reach, and that standing with the Jewish people is a losing cause.On October 7, millions across the world encountered a different message. Across 176 countries, a global broadcast brought remembrance, solidarity, and support for Israel to an audience that stretched across cultures, borders, and generations.The headlines may tell one story. The evidence tells another story.We must never surrender the next generation. We must never abandon Israel. And we must never allow the forces of hatred to have the final word.The future belongs to those willing to fight for truth and defend the innocent.The world is watching. The next generation is listening. And our response today will help determine what they believe tomorrow.The writer has written 120 books and is a #1 New York Times best-selling author and Nobel Peace Prize nominee. He is the founder of the Friends of Zion Museum in Jerusalem, the Ten Boom Museum in Holland, and Churches United with Israel, one of the largest Christian Zionist networks in America.Follow us on Google