In the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, some critics of Israel have sought to drive a wedge between the conservative activist and the Jewish state, mischaracterizing his recent statements and making wild, unfounded accusations.

Within hours of Kirk’s murder — and before a suspect was identified — unhinged conspiracies spread across social media. The Anti-Defamation League’s Center on Extremism found thousands of posts containing the baseless claims. 

Seemingly aware of the effort to co-opt Kirk’s legacy, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu eulogized him as a champion of “speaking truth and defending freedom. A lion-hearted friend of Israel, he fought the lies and stood tall for Judeo-Christian civilization.”

One of the Chief Rabbis of Israel, David Yosef, sent a letter to Kirk’s family, expressing his “deep sorrow” over the assassination of “a clear and unwavering voice of truth.”

Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, at the National Council of Young Israel Gala in New York City. (Michael Brochstein/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Josh Nass, a former conservative youth commentator, met Kirk in 2012, when Kirk was just launching his organization, Turning Point USA.

“If you take Israel out of the picture, what Charlie dedicated his life to simply falls apart. He thought our value system was collapsing and was very passionate about the need to fight the culture war. His love for Israel was incredibly real and sincere. I know that because he told me so himself,” Nass said.

Israel Ganz, head of the Yesha Council — the umbrella organization of local authorities in Judea and Samaria — reacted to Kirk’s assassination, saying his community “bow[ed] their heads in mourning over the murder of a friend and lover of Israel.”

In the spirit of coexistence that Kirk promoted, dozens of Christians and Jews gathered on Wednesday atop Jerusalem’s Temple Mount to honor him. They prayed for peace for Kirk’s widow and children, offering strength and solidarity in their time of grief.