INTERVIEW: 'We cannot be afraid to bring out the light and the truth,' says Knesset Member Sharren Haskel

The Knesset Christian Allies Caucus (KCAC) has had a massive impact on different communities both locally and internationally for the last 20 years.

“We're building bridges based on mutual identity and mutual values that we share together,” KCAC co-chair Sharren Haskel told Christian journalist Paul Calvert during an interview following a ceremony to mark the 20th anniversary of the organization.

Haskel said the relationship between the Israeli government and Christian supporters is being reinforced during this time of war.

“And it really strengthened us because, especially during these difficult and troubling times that we're experiencing, knowing that we have true friends overseas that support and strengthen us is, you know, I cannot express what a massive difference it makes in our heart and how it strengthened us.”

During the interview, Haskel shared with Calvert that she and others in the caucus have been encouraged by the support of the Christian community worldwide and how its members continue to stand with Israel, even during a complex war time. Israel is currently battling Hamas terrorists and their allies in Gaza, following the Oct. 7 invasion and brutal deadly attack on 1,200 people living near Israel's southern border communities.

“I think that, you know, the phrases – when we say ‘never again,’ when many Jewish communities stood by themselves during very dark times, I think it's the Christian community who really understand what it means…And when they understand the true meaning of it, it gives us some hope and light in order to fight against that.”

Haskel said she is not surprised by the current level of antisemitism worldwide, however, she finds its ‘scope’ to be "shocking."

“I have family members all around the world in France, Norway, Canada, America. And they're scared. They're hiding their identity, they're taking off Jewish symbols so they won't be recognized. They definitely don't speak in Hebrew because they're being targeted.”

“They've been violently attacked...verbally attacked,” Haskel continued.

“I mean, for us…it's just…we cannot understand how we are, again, in a situation where Jewish communities are being targeted again and, not everybody, but some leaders and governments are silent about it.

Haskel has visited the sites of destruction caused by Hamas terrorists when they launched a surprise invasion and brutal attack on southern Israel’s border communities.

“The sights and understanding the scope of those atrocities – absolutely heartbreaking and heart wrenching. It's the sights and the smell and it you know, it really brings us to very dark times in our history, when we promised our grandparents that what they've experienced and how they survived the Second World War, we promised them that we will always stand on our feet, and we will always defend our people and our families and our nation. And understanding that we were not able to do that on the 7th of October is heartbreaking.”

Haskel recalled being approached by the sister of one of the women abducted into Gaza by terrorists on Oct. 7. Her sister is still being held captive by terrorists in the coastal enclave.

“Try and imagine your ‘Christmas’ morning going to a music festival and celebrating peace and love…” she said. “And they were butchered. They were massacred. They were burnt, they were abused, they were raped and they were kidnapped.” Haskel said.

“They're being held in Gaza, sexually assaulted, physically assaulted, abused, drugged. I mean, I cannot imagine what is going through her mind and her heart. She's been reliving the seventh of October for more than 100 days now. And yet… we failed to protect her sister.”

Haskel continued: “After the war is won and after we eliminate this radical Islamist terrorist group, Nazi group, we have to sit and think how this thing will never happen again.”

The Knesset member criticized the performance of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the UN agency that was established specifically to support Palestinian refugees in the Near East.

“I'm a person of education and I believe in education. And when we see that those hundreds of schools, you know, the UNRWA schools in Gaza, they are United Nations schools that are teaching an entire generation to radical Islam, to martyrdom, to violence, to hatred, to racism, to Nazism,” Haskel told Calvert. She said this will have to change before Israel-Palestinian coexistence will be possible.

“We have to change this…into an education system that goes hand-to-hand with the values of the United Nations that wants to spread – like coexistence and peace and democracy and tolerance. And I think this is one of our first missions in sort of demolishing radical Islam in our very small neighborhood.”

Haskel will be traveling to Holland in the coming weeks to discuss the issue of the UNRWA and its cooperation with Hamas and Palestinian Islamic factions in Gaza that call for Israel's elimination.

“This is a United Nations organization that was meant to look after Palestinians. In fact, it actually contradicts its cause because it's actually perpetuating that war and hatred between Israelis and Palestinians. This is…why we never had any kind of a long lasting agreement with Palestinians.”

Haskel explained to Calvert that UN facilities, which were built by EU member states and the U.S., are being used by Hamas for terror.

“We found, in almost every facility, weapons and bunkers and terror tunnels. They use it as military bases and how their education system is an education system of radical Islam. And how more than 10,000 workers, United Nations workers of UNRWA, are in fact Hamas members or Hamas family members.”

During the interview, Haskel revealed that the UNRWA had distributed an official letter – one week before the Oct. 7 massacres – granting UNRWA members a 7-day paid holiday leave.

“You know why?” Haskel continued, “So that they will have a week to get ready for the operation of the massacre of 7th of October. You see, in UNRWA internal worker groups, have they praised the 7th of October massacre?”

Haskel also reminded Calvert that European and American taxpayers are "paying" the bill for UNRWA activities.

She said her prayer is that Israel wins the war “in a full way” by defeating “radical Islamist ideology that is trying to force darkness on us.”

“I pray that our values of freedom and liberty and equality will prevail and will win,” she continued. “I pray for the soldiers that are defending our families and our nation will be back home as quickly as possible – safe and healthy. And I pray for a better future. A different future than the one that is being tried to be forced upon us.”

As a mother of young children, Haskel said it is difficult to see the sons and daughters of Israel losing their lives fighting the war in Gaza. She shared her personal experience as a soldier in a combat unit more than two decades ago.

“I was, in fact, a combat soldier in the army in 2002. I was serving in Jerusalem during the time of the Second Intifada, and I go to so many funerals and mourning houses – to go and hug the families, and it's just unbelievable the amount of worlds and hearts that are being broken, the amount of dreams that just vanished, and what a huge price we're paying for defending our families and our communities. It's a very, very difficult.”

Haskel is grateful for worldwide Christian support and solidarity with Israel and requested that Christians continue to, “Spread the truth, spread the light. Don't be silent when you see people that are lying about atrocities, about what had happened; when they're speaking in favor of a radical Islamist terrorist organization; when women who are fighting violence against women but then support Hamas,” which committed mass rape, weaponizing violence against women.

“We have to be louder,” she added. “We cannot be afraid to bring out the light and the truth. This is a fight that all of us together are fighting…We cannot be silent anymore.”

Click below to listen to the full interview.