By Ashley Hefner, Photographer and Staff Writer
Since October 7 and the beginning of the war against Hamas, I have longed for its ending and a solution that yields the least amount of death and pain possible for all innocent people. Some have called this hope idealistic or naive, but I have tried to hold onto it. However, recent incidents in pop culture, specifically on the reality television show Love Island and at a Coldplay concert, have made staying committed to my aspirations increasingly difficult.
Given the gravity of the conflict, it is ironic that a show as superficial as Love Island could have such a profound impact on my hopes regarding the war. Nevertheless, the show gained a real-world dimension when rumours spread online in late June that a new Love Island contestant, Elan Bibas, was an IDF soldier. In reality, Elan is a Canadian Jew who visited Israel and posted a photo with an IDF soldier in 2022. Some TikTok users pointed to that photo and his following of the StandWithUs Instagram account as “evidence” of military service. Although this was quickly debunked, social media users labelled him a “Zionist,” using the term with clearly hateful and inaccurate implications.
At Yeshiva University, we understand Zionism as “a Jewish nationalist movement with the goal of the creation and support of a Jewish national state in [the land some call] Palestine, the ancient homeland of the Jews.” But in broader society, the term Zionist is often villainized to imply involvement in violence or oppression. For example, TikTok comments accused Bibas of “killing children” and “advocating for genocide” without any evidence of him actually being a Zionist nor that being a Zionist would implicate him in these things. This distortion turns the word “Zionist” into a slur, amplifying existing divisions regarding Israel and Palestine and undermines the possibility of peace. When people equate all Zionists with genocide or portray them as inherently evil, it shuts down the chance for productive conversations, and meaningful dialogue is crucial for moving toward a path of coexistence.
Even if Bibas identifies as a Zionist, others also need to recognize the nuances within the Zionist ideology. For example, many Zionists believe in the right of the Jews to have a homeland in the Land of Israel, but still oppose Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s policies and the government’s conduct during the war. Like any movement, Zionism has their extremists, but disregarding the many different opinions within Zionism harms people’s ability to engage in constructive conversations.
Controversy with Bibas’ presence on Love Island escalated further when Huda Mustafa, a contestant with a Palestinian background, kissed Bibas during a challenge in episode 19. Although the challenge was a typical show segment, many social media users were outraged. Comments called the moment between Mustafa and Bibas “disgusting” and claimed the producers should have “protected” Mustafa. Seeing these reactions made me question whether my hopes for reconciliation are a realistic possibility — if even a kiss between a Jewish man and a Palestinian woman invokes such vitriol, how can we expect political leaders with deep-seated differences to compromise?
Another situation that challenged my belief in peace came at a Coldplay concert in Toronto when lead singer Chris Martin acknowledged both Israeli and Palestinian flags in the audience. “Thank you for just existing together in this space,” he said, “and showing us … these conflicts are overcomable.” Yet online reactions were again filled with hate, including responses like, “No, this doesn’t work. Israel does not have the right to exist.” How can we realistically envision peace if a call for unity and coexistence is rejected?
Although the issue of Israel and Palestine sparks heated debates with very different outlooks, people need to try to find common ground and eventually reach a place where we as a society can fathom a peaceful solution. But if society cannot even accept someone spreading messages about peace, it is idealistic to believe that one day this ongoing issue will come to a peaceful resolution.
While negativity can exist on any side of a conflict, it’s concerning to see peace-oriented messages met with hostility, especially when the majority of hateful responses on social media appear to be coming from people who identify as pro-Palestine on the grounds of being tolerant and progressive. This tendency reflects a broader problem outside of the war: when people stop seeing each other’s humanity or refuse to accept the differences in individuals they deem as opposition, peace slips further out of reach. To foster meaningful dialogue, people must begin by finding common ground and recognizing the things that bring us together, no matter how small. After all, people from all walks of life can and do enjoy reality television and going to concerts.
Pop-culture may not end wars but it can give people glimmers of the unity we claim to desire.
However, when society fails to understand the nuances of an ideology or movement, as was seen in the backlash to Elan Bibas’ appearance on Love Island and Chris Martin’s advocacy for peace, it becomes nearly impossible to see common ground between people and thus, impossible to compromise and achieve acceptance. When we look at individuals as intricate human beings rather than objects of what we disdain, we may move toward a more peaceful future.
Photo Caption: Island
Photo Credit: Unsplash