You would have thought that Taylor Swift had arrived to perform a sold-out show in Israel.
Instead, the queries that have clogged up social media platforms, like Facebook’s Secret Jerusalem page, have been searching for a miracle ticket to the long sold-out joint appearance on Tuesday by…. Douglas Murray and Ben Shapiro.
Neither Shapiro – a hugely popular American conservative political commentator, author, and media host – nor Murray – an equally conservative author, journalist, and Israel advocate – probably even sing particularly well.
But the sounds and words that they’ve uttered and written in the last year, along with their high visibility in confronting Israel haters, have made them rock stars for the pro-Israel community looking for heroes who defend the Jewish state against the genocide-wielding online onslaught against Israel.
“Trying one more time. Looking for one ticket to the Ben Shapiro/Douglas Murray event in Jerusalem Tuesday evening. Willing to pay well over face value. Please DM me,” posted one member of Secret Jerusalem.
“Anyone have tickets to sell to Douglas Murray/Ben Shapiro at Binyanei Hauma for tomorrow night? Please pm me,” wrote another poster.
It will likely be a scalper’s delight outside the capital’s Binyanei Hauma Arena ahead of their joint appearance at Tuesday night’s Freedom of Zion Conference.
Sponsored by Herut, The Center for Israeli Liberty, an organization promoting “Israeli conservatism,” the event is described as “an opportunity to celebrate the heroism of the Israeli people, and to lay the conceptual foundations for continued victory in an existential battle.”
The event
The evening will feature Murray and Shapiro discussing “the spirit and strategy of Israel’s fighting forces and a plan for Israeli renewal, reconstruction, and prosperity on the day after the war,” according to ads for the event.
Expect the crowd to go wild, give repeated standing ovations, and maybe even start trading friendship bracelets.