There isn't a single detail in Syrian-Lebanese peace activist Rawan Osman's story that isn't striking, and at the top of the list stands her unwavering support for Israel. Born in Damascus to a Syrian father and Lebanese mother, the 40-year-old who grew up in a Hezbollah stronghold became a pro-Israeli activist overnight after Oct. 7, 2023. Since then, she has devoted herself to creating content for the Arab world, explaining the reality in Israel and challenging widespread Arab narratives while sharing her personal story, reaching millions across social media.
Video: The interview with Syrian-Lebanese peace activist Rawan Osman. Credit: Moshe Ben-Simhon
"Growing up in Lebanon, I was fond of Hezbollah, I thought they are heroes who save us whenever Israel attacks us," she recalled. "I grew up in a very antisemitic surrounding. I've never seen a Jew or an Israeli until my mid-twenties when I moved to France and lived among Jews. And the first time I saw religious Jewish men, I had a panic attack."
"A recovered antisemite"
That panic attack became a turning point. "That moment changed my life because I wanted to know, I'm not a fearful person – why did I behave this way? They didn't even look at me. I realized it was becasue I was sharing the same space with a Jew – the enemy." The warmth she encountered at that moment transformed her path. "Had those Jewish men reacted differently," she reflected, "my life might have been completely different." This experience led her to examine the beliefs that had caused her to view Jews as enemies, pushing her to research both regional and Jewish history. In stark contrast to the anti-Israeli environment of her upbringing, she now identifies herself as "a recovered antisemite."
"If we are going to cure a disease, then we have to have the correct diagnosis," she emphasized. "This brainwashing process we went through led to many deaths. It led to senseless wars. It has to stop. I refuse to live in a world where the atrocities that took place on Oct. 7 are condoned, justified, and even celebrated. Baklava was distributed on the streets in Berlin, where I live. How insane is that? Celebrating what?"
Her social media presence has sparked unprecedented responses from Syrians, Lebanese, and Iranians who condemned the Oct. 7 massacre, leading to her first invitation to Israel. Now, on her seventh visit, we meet at the Peres Center for Peace and Innovation in Jaffa, conducting our interview in former Israeli President Shimon Peres' office – a fitting symbol of peace. However, her choice to support Israel has come at a heavy personal cost – her family has cut all contact with her.
"When I say I am a recovered antisemite, it means I was in your shoes," she explained. "Many Arabs and Westerners are antisemitic. They hate the Jews and believe that the Jews hate everybody except their own people. And if I am pro-Israel today, there's a reason – Israel is not our enemy. Our enemy in the region is the Islamic regime in Iran."
"The Israelis are doing you a favor"
When discussing Syria's future, Osman notes receiving numerous messages from Syrian citizens concerned about Israeli involvement in post-Assad Syria. "I told them, first of all, you have to listen to the Israelis, not to Al-Jazeera. Second, they are doing you a favor. Remember, you have weapons, rockets, missiles, chemical weapons, and you have a lot of drugs. So think about how many groups, criminals, and terror organizations are trying to access whatever is in Syria." She added with conviction, "Many Syrians agreed with me – we are fed up with the 'axis of resistance.' We want Damascus to look like Dubai, not like Gaza, and we want peace with Israel."
"These are historical times," she said of the events unfolding in Syria, expressing optimism about her homeland's future. "Syria will receive help, will receive support. Anything is better than Satan, better than Assad, who even managed to get humanitarian asylum. How crazy is that? A world which celebrates the arrest warrants issued against Netanyahu and Gallant and believes Hamas' narratives, but did not protest Assad receiving humanitarian asylum."
Looking beyond Syria, Osman sees transformation coming to the entire Middle East. "I am optimistic, and I do believe that peace will happen sooner than I ever imagined. We have a moral obligation to fight till the end, to be a light for everyone in this world. It doesn't have to make much sense to people. It's Emunah (faith). I feel it in my heart the same way after Oct. 7, I came to Israel and I told every Israeli who was in doubt, shattered, depressed, broken-hearted – Israel will prevail, B'ezrat HaShem (with God's help)."
