Oli London, the British author of Gender Madness and a news commentator with a large following on Twitter/X, says the events of October 7 left him no choice but to speak out.
In an interview with The Jerusalem Post during his eighth visit to Israel in three years, London said he watched footage of the Hamas massacre as it emerged in real time, describing it as "the worst thing I've ever witnessed." He said he was equally troubled by the speed with which pro-Palestinian demonstrations appeared in London and other Western cities, which he alleged were organized and funded in advance, noting that protesters were waving flags and placards before Israel had launched any military response.
London argued that much of the hostility toward Israel is "nothing to do really with Palestine or Israel," but rather reflects a resurgent antisemitism that has entered the mainstream. Drawing comparisons with 1930s Germany, he warned that those who remain silent as Jews are attacked in Europe "are complicit."
London's switch to Christianity
London, who became a Christian four years ago, linked his support for Israel to a broader personal transformation. He told the Post that during the COVID-19 pandemic he spent much of his time on TikTok, where, he said, changing one's gender identity was presented as trendy and met with widespread praise. As someone who had long felt like an outsider, he said that affirmation was powerful, but it did not make him happy. He described turning to church, and later to faith, as a turning point that reversed nearly all of his earlier views.
That experience, he said, helps him understand why young people, including members of the LGBTQ community, have embraced the pro-Palestinian cause, which he attributed to a desire for acceptance rather than conviction. He pointed out that Tel Aviv hosts the only Pride celebration in the Middle East and questioned why activists are largely silent on anti-gay laws in Uganda and executions in Iran.
London said his advocacy has come at a price, including lost relationships, the loss of fashion brand partnerships, and accusations online that he is a paid propagandist, particularly after he became one of the first influencers to visit the Gaza border communities in the weeks after the attack. To critics who point to his past, he responded that "everyone has the ability to change."
London was also sharply critical of Western media, accusing outlets including the BBC and Sky News of chasing clicks with misleading coverage of the Israel-Hamas war, and urged young people to compare multiple sources and, where possible, visit a place before forming an opinion. He described the United Nations as "morally bankrupt," faulting it for its treatment of Israel while, in his view, neglecting the plight of women in Afghanistan, persecuted Christians in Nigeria, and victims of the regime in Iran.
He also weighed in on Ed Sheeran's recent effort to address both sides of the conflict, saying public figures should "never try to appease the mob." London spoke during a visit to Israel with a summit of some 1,000 Christian pastors, which included prayer at the Garden Tomb, a visit to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and a boat trip on the Sea of Galilee, an experience he said left his faith "strengthened tenfold." His message to Israelis, he said, is that they are not alone: "The internet is not the real world."