It shouldn’t take courage to stand up for Israel to exist as an expression of the Jewish right to self-determination, and to defend itself from those determined to destroy it as a state and murder its citizens. It shouldn’t take great determination either.
All it should take is the resolve to behave like a human.
Yet in 2026, courage and determination are exactly what are required.
Boy George may not think of himself as brave, yet by releasing a song called “We will dance again” in support of Israel and the Jewish people, he unleashed vitriolic hatred targeting him that should make any decent person shudder.
He chose principle over popularity in a world where narratives are driven by politically motivated and unverified slogans rather than by evidence and truth.
“We will dance again” speaks of the denial of the October 7 massacre, the accusations of genocide, the recognition of the brutality of Israel’s enemies, and the constant demonizing of Jews.
Those lyrics cut through the fog of distortion that has plagued this discussion for years.
But there is a price for showing moral courage, a price for standing up for principles, a price that is both personal and professional.
In Boy George’s case, he has been targeted with vile abuse, including being told he should be “ashamed” for releasing a pro-Israel song. Some called his song “pro-genocide.” Many have demanded he be “canceled.”
He parted ways with Tony Pontius, who ran his record label BGP, after Pontius said he wanted nothing to do with this song.
His profile was also removed from Bandcamp, an online music platform that lets musicians upload and sell their music directly to fans.
Following the backlash, Boy George withdrew from the stage production of Jesus Christ Superstar. Yet through it all, his manager, Paul Kemsley, has thrown his complete support behind the artist, saying Boy George has “spent his life being authentic in a world that rarely makes it easy.”
While many artists might eventually cave to the pressure and issue an “apology” to safeguard their professional careers, Boy George has remained resolute and authentic.
Back in April 2026, after a horrific attack near a synagogue in Golders Green, London, Boy George spoke out in solidarity with the Jewish community, admitting that he copped a lot of abuse for it, but refusing to turn his back on the Jewish people.
How refreshing it is, in a world in which so many are taken in by false narratives, vicious lies, and libels leveled at Israel and Jews, to see someone showing the courage to stand up for truth, basic fairness, and humanity when it is so much easier to look away.
Happily, he is not the only one.
Icons who refuse to adopt a herd mentality
A small but significant group of non-Jewish voices continues to speak in support of Israel despite mass vitriol and abuse directed their way. Among them are Douglas Murray, Richard Kemp, John Spencer, John Fetterman, Mosab Hassan Yousef (the “Green Prince”), and others.
They have reminded us that moral courage is not measured by popularity but by a willingness to stand by one’s principles even when doing so carries a cost.
They display a level of integrity often absent among many world leaders and officials whose central role is to provide moral leadership. These leaders should be well-versed in international affairs. Yet many of these leaders seem to struggle to distinguish between a democracy fighting against genocidal forces and the genocidal forces themselves.
After the October 7 massacre, much of the world’s attention rapidly pivoted to Palestinian suffering – and stayed there. Israeli and Jewish suffering became almost invisible. This included the hundreds of thousands in Israel living with PTSD, the families of the murdered still in mourning, and an entire country scarred by the worst attack on Jews since the Holocaust.
Jews in the diaspora, including in Australia, have been subjected to the largest increase in Jew-hatred seen in decades. That takes an emotional toll on people and the community.
The Royal Commission into Antisemitism currently underway has given voice to the trauma that the Australian Jewish community has experienced, with stories of heartbreak, anxiety, and fear being heard. Many have felt isolated and alone.
Given our history, Jews have a unique understanding of what being isolated means: it means lacking the protection others had in the societies in which they lived. Pogroms, ethnic cleansing, and mass murder have often followed the dehumanization of the Jewish people.
Boy George and other non-Jewish voices deserve credit for speaking up when it’s so much easier and more convenient not to. In doing so, they display courage and determination.
And it makes a difference. It tells a community that has been suffering for years that we are not forgotten. Our pain is not being ignored. Our fear is not being dismissed. We are not alone.
The writer is a policy analyst at the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC).