UNC Frat Boys Hailed by Netanyahu for Protecting U.S. Flag from Protesters

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the fraternity brothers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill during his speech before Congress on Wednesday. He lauded their bravery in protecting the American flag from pro-Hamas protesters back in April, amidst the anti-Semitic protests that have rocked college campuses across the country.

Netanyahu highlighted the clear moral distinction between democratic Israel and the terrorist group Hamas, criticizing the protesters for their failure to recognize this difference. “We recently learned from the U.S. Director of National Intelligence that Iran is funding and promoting anti-Israel protests in America. They want to disrupt America,” Netanyahu stated. “These protesters burn American flags even on the Fourth of July, and I wish to salute the fraternity brothers at the University of North Carolina who protected the American flag against these anti-Israel protesters.”

The majority of those in attendance, except for a few high-profile Democrats like Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), stood up and cheered as Netanyahu praised the fraternity brothers.

Netanyahu also called the pro-Hamas protesters “Iran’s useful idiots” for accepting funding from “the tyrants of Tehran.” This statement underlined the seriousness of the issue and the broader geopolitical implications.

In a photo that quickly became iconic on social media, the fraternity brothers were seen holding up the American flag, preventing it from touching the ground. Student Guillermo Estrada recounted that he was walking to class when he noticed a Palestinian flag had been raised on the quad flag pole, causing immediate outrage. School officials and police officers attempting to re-hoist the American flag faced profanity, middle fingers, and thrown bottles from the protesters.

Estrada said his Pi Kappa Phi fraternity brothers and others stood their ground, protecting the American flag when protesters tried to remove it again and were “preparing to destroy it.” “People began throwing water bottles at us, rocks, sticks, calling us profane names,” he said. “We stood for an hour defending the flag so many fight to protect.”

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