25 ViZionaries: Yahya Mahamid - No. 15
Meet the Arab Israeli Zionist educator promoting peace.
Yahya Mahamid, an Arab Israeli Zionist, educator, and Israel advocate, defies stereotypes and embraces a mission of peace and understanding. Born in Umm Al Fahm, he grew up with anti-Zionist sentiments but began questioning these views after personal interactions with Israelis challenged his perceptions. His transformative journey led him to embrace his identity as a Muslim Zionist.
Mahamid faced backlash and threats after a viral photo showed him with the Israeli flag in 2014, but he remained steadfast in his mission to bridge gaps and dispel misinformation. He began working with StandWithUs, an organization dedicated to educating people about Israel, to speak across the US and eventually throughout Europe and the rest of the world.
He then enlisted in the IDF as a volunteer, serving for two years as a shooting instructor and then as a disciplinary officer before being recruited for a special delegation in Dubai that worked toward the Abraham Accords.
Mahamid uses his platform to promote Israeli-Palestinian peace.