“I was attacked by a neo-Nazi in the US, but he didn’t know he was messing with a Golani soldier!”
By Shula Rosen
Prominent Arab Israeli pro-Israel activist Yoseph Haddad said far-right figure Dennis Faitosa attacked him from behind following a contentious filmed debate in Los Angeles that included insults directed at Haddad over his service in Israel’s military.
Haddad and Faitosa faced each other during the Digital Social Hour podcast, where Haddad appeared in a “one versus 10” debate with pro-Palestinian activists.
Faitosa recently competed for the Republican nomination in California’s 30th Congressional District but was eliminated after receiving only a small share of the vote.
Footage from their exchange showed Faitosa directing several insults at Haddad in response to his service in the Israel Defense Forces, including calling him a “baby killer” and a “murderous monster.” He also used a profane insult.
The encounter later moved outside the studio. Haddad said Faitosa approached and attacked him from behind.
Video showed Faitosa being brought to the ground, after which Haddad punched him.
“I was attacked by a neo-Nazi in the US, but he didn’t know he was messing with a Golani soldier! Yesterday I came to participate in a filmed debate against a group of anti-Israel people, with the person debating me changing each time,” Haddad wrote on social media alongside footage of the confrontation.
“He very quickly learned a lesson—because we don’t stay silent in the face of anti-Israel attacks, and he picked the wrong person!” Haddad wrote.
Haddad said he viewed the physical confrontation as part of a wider tendency among anti-Israel activists to turn to violence when verbal arguments fail.
“This is nothing new. When they can’t win a verbal debate, they move to a physical confrontation … The problem is that they lose there too!” Haddad added. “This is exactly the classic example of the anti-Israel crowd — they attack Israel and then whine when Israel responds and wins!”
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