We're Members of the Israeli Knesset. Here's Our Message to Iranians
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
To the proud people of Iran:
This is not a message to your rulers. It's a message to you—the heirs of Cyrus the Great, of Ferdowsi, Avicenna, and Rumi. For centuries, Iranian civilization was one of the most admired in the world. Your science, art, and literature helped shape humanity's understanding of beauty and wisdom. Your gardens inspired the world. Your poetry spoke of mercy, truth, and the soul.
But that light has been dimmed by a regime that fears freedom. A regime that crushes dissent, bans art, jails women, and spends your national treasure on weapons, militias, and war.
This week, Israel acted—not to punish Iran, but to stop the machinery of destruction that threatens the region and the world. We struck facilities and commanders tied to the regime's nuclear and terror infrastructure. These strikes were precise and limited—aimed not at the Iranian people, but at the violent ideology that endangers them too.
We acted because no sovereign nation can accept the threat of annihilation. But we also acted because we believe in a different future—one we know is possible.
Our two peoples have known friendship before. There was a time—not so long ago—when Israel and Iran were close partners, exchanging knowledge, trade, and good will. That friendship was not a fluke. It was a reflection of two ancient civilizations that, when working together, can bring tremendous good to the region and to the world. That potential still exists. It is only blocked by the extremist regime that came to power and tore that friendship apart.
A new Middle East is taking shape before our eyes. Countries that once saw each other as enemies are working together—through the Abraham Accords—to build a region based on cooperation and shared prosperity. Israeli and Emirati entrepreneurs develop startups together. Bahraini and Moroccan students study at Israeli universities. Regional air defense is being built across borders.
This isn't some distant dream—it's happening now. And a free Iran could be part of it.
Israeli flags stand amid rubble and destruction in a residential area of Rishon LeZion, Israel on June 14, 2025.
Israeli flags stand amid rubble and destruction in a residential area of Rishon LeZion, Israel on June 14, 2025.
Khadija Toufik / Middle East ImagesWe're not naïve. We know the regime will try to crush hope. But we also know that hope is already alive. We saw it in 2009's Green Movement, in 2019's street protests, in the women-led resistance of 2022. We've seen you risk everything to sing in your language, to dance in your cities, to choose how you live and who you worship.
We write to you not as rivals, but as partners in a shared struggle—against tyranny, against extremism, against the silence that fear imposes. We, too, come from a people who faced darkness. Our own state was born from suffering, but we built a democracy. We know what it means to be isolated, to be targeted, and to rise anyway.
Israel is ready to work with any nation that seeks peace. And one day, we believe, that can include a free Iran—one that no longer exports weapons and terror, but science, poetry, medicine, and innovation. Imagine Iranian engineers working side by side with Israeli ones on clean energy. Imagine Iranian music echoing through regional festivals. Imagine Tehran's universities as centers of knowledge, not repression.
This isn't a fantasy. It's a choice. And only you can make it.
No foreign army can bring freedom. But people can. When enough citizens say, "no more." When they say, "our identity will not be defined by fear." When they say, "our children deserve a life of dignity, not propaganda."
The world is watching. This is your moment—to rise on your own terms and reclaim the story of your country.
History has not forgotten the beauty and greatness of Iran. And neither have we.
We stand with you, coalition and opposition in Israel together—not above you, not beyond you, but beside you.
Dan Illouz is a Member of Knesset for the coalition Likud Party and Co‑Chair of the Knesset Abraham Accords Caucus. Michael Biton is a Member of Knesset for the opposition National Unity Party and Co‑Chair of the Knesset Abraham Accords Caucus.
The views expressed in this article are the writers' own.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
17 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Chinese Ships Detected Near Coast of US Ally
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. China's coast guard has been occupying waters off the coast of the Philippines' largest islands, carrying out patrols that could further inflame territorial Beijing-Manila tensions. Newsweek has reached out to the Philippine coast guard and Chinese foreign ministry via email for comment outside of office hours. Why It Matters Beijing claims jurisdiction over most of the South China Sea, alleging historical rights. It regularly deploys its coast guard in what analysts have called a bid to normalize China's presence in neighboring countries' maritime zones. The Philippines has mounted the stiffest pushback, with confrontations between the two countries' coast guards raising concerns a misunderstanding could trigger Manila's Mutual Defense Treaty with Washington and spark a greater power conflict. China Coast Guard vessel conducts a patrol on October 14, 2024, in Sansha, Hainan province. China Coast Guard vessel conducts a patrol on October 14, 2024, in Sansha, Hainan province. Wang Jiang/Associated Press What To Know A Chinese coast guard cutter with hull number 3304 was observed just 50 nautical miles (57.5 miles) off the west coast of Luzon on Wednesday morning, according to ship-tracking data shared on X by Ray Powell, director of the Stanford University-affiliated maritime analysis group SeaLight. Meanwhile, a second vessel, China Coast Guard 5306, was spotted near Half Moon Shoal, roughly 50 nautical miles from Palawan, the country's westernmost major island. Both ships were more than 900 miles from China's southernmost province of Hainan and within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone, an area extending 200 nautical miles from territorial waters in which the Philippines alone is entitled to explore and manage natural resources under international maritime law. Powell contrasted what he described as the "intrusive" Chinese patrols with the activities of their Philippine counterparts, who were engaged in relief efforts as tropical storm Francisco brought mudflows and flooding to Luzon, including parts of Manila, forcing tens of thousands to evacuate. Since taking office in 2022, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has stepped up the country's challenge to Chinese activities within the exclusive economic zone, including efforts to run Chinese blockades around hotspots like the Spratly Islands' Second Thomas Shoal, where the Philippines maintains a small military garrison aboard a grounded former warship. While tensions have eased somewhat on the matter of Second Thomas Shoal since a fierce clash in June 2024 that resulted in several Philippine injuries, Chinese coast guard ships have been observed sailing further east—though rarely as close as the recent approach by cutter 3304. China has called on the Philippines to return to bilateral dialogue and accused Manila of acting as a pawn in U.S. efforts to contain its rise. July 12 marked the ninth anniversary of a Hague-based arbitral tribunal's decision that largely rejected China's expansive claims over the South China Sea. Beijing did not participate in the proceedings and maintains the ruling is invalid and politically motivated. What's Next China is likely to continue deploying maritime forces into the Philippine EEZ, but it remains to be seen where Manila will draw the line and what will be the threshold for further escalation.
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Video Shows Moment GOP Senator Josh Hawley Leaves Stage Over Heckling
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Senator Josh Hawley, a Missouri Republican, was temporarily escorted from the stage amid heckling from pro-Palestinian demonstrations during a panel discussion about the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on American workers with Axios Wednesday morning. Newsweek reached out to Hawley's office for comment via email. Why It Matters Politicians from both sides of the aisle have faced protests from pro-Palestinian protesters during public appearances over the past few years, as the U.S. has remained a closer ally to Israel despite humanitarian concerns about its actions in Gaza. On October 7, 2023, Hamas led an attack against Israel, killing 1,200 and abducting 251 people. Israel has said 50 hostages remain in Gaza and that only 21 of them are believed to still be alive. Israel has since launched an offensive on Gaza, killing more than 59,000 people, according to The Associated Press, citing Gaza's Health Ministry. Critics have raised concerns about the number of civilians killed or displaced, as well as conditions such as the threat of starvation in the Gaza Strip. Others, however, have said Israel has a right to respond to the October 7 attack and have blamed Hamas for putting these civilians in harm's way. What to Know Hawley, who has been supportive of Israel, faced heckling during Axios' News Shapers conference in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday morning with journalist Stef Kight. The interruption came during a discussion about AI. Hawley warned about a his concerns on "a huge loss of jobs for working people," and that lawmakers need to "put people at the center of our technology policy." "If we don't do that, I'm worried about what that's going to mean for ordinary working Americans," Hawley said. Kight continued to ask if he feels like is "alone in that kind of approach," when one protester began shouting at the senator. Senator Josh Hawley, a Missouri Republican, speaks during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on April 09, 2025 in Washington, DC. Senator Josh Hawley, a Missouri Republican, speaks during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on April 09, 2025 in Washington, DC."Josh Hawley cannot possibly care about people in this country because he is supporting a war of starvation," the protester said. Kight asked the protester to allow her to continue with the interview, noting that it was the first instance of a protester during Wednesday's event. She then escorted Hawley from the stage, though Hawley asked, "aAre you sure?" when she got up. Kight and Hawley quickly returned to the stage after about one minute. Kight asked attendees to "be respectful and allow us to continue our conversation." Hawley quipped that it was "just another day in the Senate" before continuing on with the conversation. The two protesters with the group Code Pink were removed from the event after the disruption, according to video footage that has circulated across social media. What People Are Saying Hawley wrote on X: "Hahahah - pro-Hamas CRAZIES tried to disrupt another event this morning. What a bunch of nutcases. I'm proud as ever to stand for America and our ally Israel." Code Pink, the group that led the protest, on X: "We shut down Josh Hawley because his career is built on suffering from Gaza to the U.S. As 2.2 million Palestinians face forced starvation, he doubles down on genocide. We won't let him speak freely while children starve." What Happens Next The conflict between Israel and Hamas continues as President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff prepares to head to the Middle East to try to broker a ceasefire deal.
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Map Reveals States Where Youth Are Most At Risk
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Research conducted by WalletHub has determined which states contain the most at-risk young people. WalletHub researchers looked at people between the ages of 18 and 24 across the country and factored in their education levels, number of connections, and health, to see which youth are faring the best and worst. The study determined that the three states where young people are the most at risk are Louisiana, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. The three states where young people are least at risk are Minnesota, New Hampshire, and New Jersey. Newsweek has contacted the offices of the Governors of Louisiana, Oklahoma, and New Mexico for comment. Why It Matters Without schooling or steady employment, young people can find themselves in cycles of poverty. WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said that stagnant youth pose a danger to the "future economic and social prospect" of their state. One option for unemployed and undereducated young people can be the military, but a 2022 study from the Pentagon found that 77 percent of young Americans are ineligible to serve due to their weight, drug use, or mental and/or physical health. A recruiter with the Orlando Utilities Commission, center, talks with a job seeker during the 24th Mayor's Job Fair, featuring over 80 companies looking to fill open positions at the Orange County Fairgrounds, Wednesday, Jan.... A recruiter with the Orlando Utilities Commission, center, talks with a job seeker during the 24th Mayor's Job Fair, featuring over 80 companies looking to fill open positions at the Orange County Fairgrounds, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, in Orlando, Florida. More Phelan M. Ebenhack via AP/Associated Press What To Know Researchers determined that Louisiana is the state with the most at-risk youth, as 16.6 percent of people aged 18-24 in the state are not working and are not obtaining education beyond a high school degree. This is the highest percentage of unemployed youth not in school in the country. This, combined with the 13.9 percent of Louisiana youth without a high school degree, and the second-highest youth poverty rate and third-highest teen birth rate in the country, has resulted in conditions that make it difficult for young people in Louisiana to improve their financial status, determined WalletHub researchers. Youth in Oklahoma were determined to be the second most at-risk by WalletHub due to their unemployment rate of 14.4 percent. They are also not reaching educational standards in school, as only 17 percent of eighth graders in the state are demonstrating math proficiency, and only 20 percent of eighth graders are proficient at an eighth-grade reading level, according to WalletHub. New Hampshire youth, who are seen as the least at-risk in the country by WalletHub, were determined by researchers to be the least disconnected from school or employment and have the lowest youth poverty rates in the country. Many experts who spoke with WalletHub about their findings discussed the gap between rural and urban youth. Kent Bausman, professor of Sociology at Bausman University, discussed the "broadband divide" between rural and urban populations, saying that remote work needs to be made more available to rural youth, and said that transportation access needs to be improved between rural and urban areas to more easily facilitate travel to internships and jobs. Jacqueline Yahn, Associate Professor of Teacher Education, Ohio University, told WalletHub that people often focus on mobility outside of rural areas, but do not invest inside the rural areas themselves, making it difficult for young people to build up their lives in the area they're from. What People Are Saying Kent Bausman, professor of Sociology at Bausman University, told WalletHub: "As the world continues to shift toward telework and remote employment opportunities, it is incumbent for policymakers to bridge this broadband divide so that young rural individuals are not left behind. Bridging this broadband divide would also increase rural residents' opportunities to attend school online for degree completions or certifications, strengthening their competitive position in the labor market and generating new social connections beyond their immediate geography." Jacqueline V Lerner, Professor of Applied Developmental Psychology at Boston College, told WalletHub: "Policies that fund programs for youth to become involved in gaining life skills and leadership opportunities would enable more youth who have become disconnected to succeed." What Happens Next Louisiana's state government has the Louisiana Youth for Excellence program, which enters schools to teach young people about life skills and leadership.
