Israel’s Knesset celebrated 50 outstanding advocates for Israel at the “Voices of Iron Ceremony” on Tuesday. The event, hosted by Likud Member of Knesset Dan Illouz, brought together defenders of Israel from both domestic and international spheres during the current Israel-Hamas War.
Rabbi Tuly Weisz, founder of Israel365, was among the distinguished honorees. The ceremony drew attendance from across the political spectrum, including Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana and members of both coalition and opposition parties.
In his address, MK Illouz emphasized the nonpartisan nature of supporting Israel: “Supporting Israel is not about Left or Right. It’s not about political ideology. It’s about truth. It’s about justice; it’s about the fundamental right of a nation to defend its people against slaughter.” He added, “What unites us is not politics but principle: the unwavering belief that terror must never be rewarded, evil must never be justified, and Israel, the homeland of the Jewish people, will never be alone.”
The ceremony recognized Rabbi Weisz specifically for his work in “rallying Christian support for Israel as founder of Israel365.” His recent efforts were highlighted, noting that “Since the war, he has emerged as a leading advocate for sovereignty in Judea and Samaria and a strong opponent of Palestinian statehood through the establishment of Keep God’s Land and Israel365 Action, a new party in the World Zionist Congress.”
Upon receiving the award, Rabbi Weisz expressed his gratitude: “Today, I was deeply honored to receive the ‘Voice of Iron’ award at the Knesset in recognition of our efforts to advocate for Israel in general and Judea & Samaria in particular.”
The recognition came following a letter from MK Illouz to Rabbi Weisz, which stated, “Your advocacy and leadership in Israel and on the international stage since October 7 and the start of Swords of Iron has been pivotal in Israel’s fight against hatred, Antisemitism, and the spread of misinformation worldwide.”
Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana opened the ceremony by praising and thanking “the online dream team and our enemies’ ultimate nightmare” for their efforts on the country’s eighth front: global antisemitism.
MK Illouz emphasized that the advocates were defending not just Israel but basic human rights.
“Supporting Israel is not about Left or Right. It’s not about political ideology. It’s about truth. It’s about justice; it’s about the fundamental right of a nation to defend its people against slaughter,” Illouz said.
“What unites us is not politics but principle: the unwavering belief that terror must never be rewarded, evil must never be justified, and Israel, the homeland of the Jewish people, will never be alone.”
Other notable honorees at the ceremony included influencers Lizzy Savetsky, Shabbos Kastenbaum, Elon Levy, and Hillel Fuld, representing the diverse range of voices speaking up for Israel during this critical time.
Gil Hoffman, the executive director of Honest Reporting, emphasized the necessity for Israel advocates.
“I appreciate the recognition from the Knesset for the success of HonestReporting’s fight against biased coverage of Israel. We depend on an army of Jewish and Christian volunteers around the world who care about Israel and send examples of problematic reporting to action@honestreporting.com or point them out on our social media.”
