NEW YORK โ A viral incident on a New York beach captured a woman aggressively confronting a former Israel Defense Forces soldier, who was wearing a Star of David necklace. The woman has since been identified as Helen Fares, a Syrian national and German citizen, prompting renewed focus on the episodeโs motivations and public response.
The incident occurred while several Israeli tourists were sitting on the sand. Fares approached and began shouting questions such as, “Did you fight children? Did you kill children in Gaza?”
Despite the verbal assault, the former IDF soldier remained composed. He calmly responded that he was proud to serve his country and referenced the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, in which over 1,200 Israelis were killed.
At one point, Fares demanded to see a photo of his brother in Gaza and continued delivering inflammatory accusations. A lifeguard intervened to de-escalate the confrontation, but Fares left shouting, โFree Palestine.โ
HERE IS THE FULL VIDEO:
— Jeremy Kamali (@JeremyKamali) August 6, 2025
Yesterday, A pro-Hamas lunatic harassed a former IDF soldier on a New York beach.
Identifying him from his Star of David necklace alone.
Ridiculous. pic.twitter.com/SpAP2VxOEH
Supporters of Israel have identified Fares via social media as holding both Syrian and German citizenship.
The incident has triggered broader discussion about public harassment of Jews, including Holocaust survivors and IDF veterans, and the weaponization of symbols like the Star of David in political confrontations.
This article is based on verified information from Fox News Digital, Israel Hayom, The Times of India, and social media verification via X posts.
Helen Fares is not just any German. She used to work as a newsanchor for SWR, a public media outlet funded by a mandatory fee until fired for antisemitic comments.