Netanyahu announces Israel will honor Charlie Kirk with award for fighting antisemitism

Several prominent pro-Israeli leaders are expected to attend the event

People hold posters of Charlie Kirk during a Turning Point USA rally at Utah State University, as a part of the organization's push to memorialize Kirk, Sept. 30, 2025, in Logan, Utah. (AP Photo/Alex Goodlett, File) (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Israel is set to posthumously honour conservative activist Charlie Kirk for his work combating antisemitism, four months after he was assassinated while speaking at an American university.

The award will be presented at the International Conference on Combating Antisemitism in Jerusalem in late January. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced the decision on Wednesday evening.

Several prominent pro-Israeli leaders are expected to attend the event, among them Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and former Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz.

This year will be the second time Israel's government hosts the conference, which it says is “dedicated to confronting antisemitism and Holocaust denial in today’s world.”

Turning Point USA Founder Charlie Kirk speaks at a Turning Point event prior to Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, speaking, Sept. 4, 2024, in Mesa, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File) (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Kirk was a staunch supporter of Israel. After his death, Netanyahu described him as a “lion-hearted friend” of the country and a “defender of our common Judeo-Christian civilization.”

The Turning Point USA co-founder frequently invoked scripture and prophecy to urge American Christians and conservatives to stand by the country against its enemies.

But some of his comments about Jewish philanthropy and Hollywood drew accusations of antisemitism. And as debates over Israel have emerged among American conservatives, his legacy on the issue has become contested. Last year, speaking on The Megyn Kelly Show, he said support for Israel had become so rigid that he felt unable to voice even mild criticism of its policies.