Prominent Israeli social media influencer and activist Yoseph Haddad revealed on his Facebook account last Saturday that he and his family had been subjected to an attack while on a flight from Dubai to Israel. The assailants were identified as Israeli-Arabs who apparently targeted Haddad due to his political views and outspoken support for the State of Israel.

"In a troubling incident, both verbal and physical, my family and I were accosted by individuals from my own demographic," Haddad disclosed. "The assault resulted in my mother sustaining a hand injury."

אני ומשפחתי הותקפנו בעלייה לטיסה מדובאי לישראל על ידי מספר אנשים מהחברה שלי שזיהו אותי ותקפו אותנו רק בגלל מי שאני, בגלל הדעות שלי והעשייה שלי למען מדינת ישראל. התקפה מילולית ופיזית שבעקבותיה אמא שלי נפצעה בכף ידה (בתמונה המצורפת).

אני רוצה להודות לרשויות בדובאי על הטיפול בעניין… pic.twitter.com/y3CSEn2NOt

— יוסף חדאד - Yoseph Haddad (@YosephHaddad) August 26, 2023

Haddad expressed gratitude towards the authorities in Dubai for their professional handling of the situation. He extended a special thanks to Amir Hayek, the Israeli Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, as well as other key consulate staff for their support and guidance through the ordeal. "We have safely returned to Israel and are in good health," Haddad assured his followers.

Defiant in the face of intimidation, Haddad warned his attackers and others who may think of resorting to violence to silence him: "Your actions only serve to strengthen my resolve. I will not be deterred; rather, I will continue to grow stronger in my activism. I am immensely grateful to my family for their resilience and sacrifices along this journey."

Israeli-Arab (and NEWSRAEL contributor) Yoseph Haddad and family attacked in Dubai by Israeli-Arabshttps://t.co/bRNg4TaHhS

— NEWSRAEL - The 24/7 Live FREE News App! (@NewsraelApp) August 27, 2023

Over the years, Yoseph Haddad has emerged as a significant pro-Israel voice on social media platforms, unafraid to critique both the Israeli government and his fellow Arab-Israelis. One of his particular areas of focus has been the need for a tougher stance on Palestinian terrorism. In a recent article, Haddad emphasized the necessity for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to develop communications strategies that resonate with the Arab world.

"We possess a capable military force that should respond robustly to threats," Haddad stated. Drawing parallels with past military campaigns such as Operation 'Defensive Shield,' which quelled the Second Intifada, and the Second Lebanon War that led Hezbollah leader Nasrallah to express regret, Haddad argued that a strong IDF response is effective. "The military achievements in 1967 showed that the IDF could do the unimaginable in just six days, combining power, initiative, and audacity to subdue Arab armies," he wrote.

Arab-Israeli advocacy activist: "I was attacked because of my opinions". Yoseph Haddad, an Arab pro-Israel advocacy activist, uploaded document on his Facebook account of the attack he and his family experienced on a flight from Dubai, according to him because of his political… pic.twitter.com/H3MOBE2nL2

— Eli Dror (@edrormba) August 26, 2023

Haddad’s incident on the flight from Dubai brings to the fore the complex dynamics of being an Arab-Israeli advocate for the State of Israel, but it also serves as a stark reminder that the landscape of Middle Eastern politics is fraught with both evident and subtle forms of conflict. It underlines the courage required to stand firm in one's convictions in an environment increasingly characterized by polarization and violence.