Facing the Middle East with Felice Friedson: Hope and Heroes

Former hostage Evyatar David recounts the ordeal in Gaza, Christian visitors challenge boycotts of Israeli settlements, and former Miss Israel Melanie Shiraz seeks to build cultural bridges.

The psychological toll of two years in Hamas captivity, a Christian initiative to challenge European boycotts of Israeli settlements, and an effort to change how Israel is portrayed abroad lead this special post-October 7 edition of Facing the Middle East. I speak with former hostage Evyatar David and former Miss Israel Melanie Shiraz, while reporter Gabriel Colodro takes us into the West Bank.

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David recounts how an outing with friends to the Nova Music Festival on October 7, 2023, became a desperate escape attempt as Hamas-led attackers opened fire. David and his friend Guy were abducted; two other friends, Ron Zarfati and Idan Haramaty, were killed. He spent 738 days held in Gaza, including time in tunnels, and describes his captors’ efforts to convince hostages that their families and governments had abandoned them.

For David, the deaths of his friends remain the most painful memory. He recalls how an earlier hostage agreement gave him hope of returning home. When I ask what he wants people to learn, he urges them to appreciate family and ordinary freedoms that can disappear without warning. He also warns about the continuing threat of extremist violence beyond Israel.

Christians visit West Bank, protest sanctions on West Bank goods

The program next follows Christians traveling with the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem into Israeli settlements in the West Bank. In his report, Colodro accompanies visitors shopping in Samaria and Gush Etzion as a deliberate protest against restrictions on goods originating in Israeli settlements. Representatives from Ireland and Norway argue that the measures penalize communities they support. The segment examines differences between European policies, including exemptions for tourists’ personal goods and proposals for criminal penalties for certain trade. Norway’s government says its proposed restrictions aim to avoid sustaining settlements it considers unlawful under international law.

I also speak with Shiraz, Miss Israel 2025, about campus antisemitism and her shift from data science to international outreach. She explains why arguments based on statistics alone often fail to reach people whose views are shaped by emotion, social media, and algorithms. Recalling a candid conversation with a Lebanese rideshare driver, Shiraz calls for face-to-face encounters that allow Israelis and others to see each other beyond political labels. She introduces the Israel Cultural Diplomacy Institute, intended to train people in arts, music, sports, and other cultural fields to represent Israel internationally.

We’re also celebrating an exciting milestone for The Media Line: the launch of our completely redesigned website, more than a year in the making. This is much more than a new look. We’re introducing a new way to experience Middle East journalism, combining independent reporting with interactive educational tools that encourage critical thinking, challenge assumptions, and help readers separate fact from fiction. We’re excited to unveil what we’ve created, and I invite you to explore the new experience and share it with others.