Gazans and Turks are making their voices heard
And my one-year reflections as Philos’ Executive Director
March 27, 2025
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Palestinians Protest Against Hamas in Gaza
This week, thousands of Gazans have taken to the streets, calling for the end of Hamas. This is remarkable for many reasons. One, these Palestinians have reached such suffering that they are risking Hamas’ violent suppression. There is no free speech in Gaza, and Hamas brutally punishes Palestinian dissidents. Two, the Palestinians protesting see Hamas for what they are: terrorists. Yet in the West, the message is still that Hamas are freedom fighters. We remain hopefully cautious that trends of Hamas support are indeed changing. These Palestinians are desperate for their voices to be heard, and the West must listen.
Erdogan Imprisons Political Opposition
Turkiye’s mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu, was about to become his party’s presidential candidate to rival President Erdogan. But this week, Imamoglu was arrested on corruption charges. Protestors have taken to the streets, as Imamoglu’s arrest was likely politically motivated. Erdogan has been Turkiye’s prime minister and then president since 2003 and has worked hard to consolidate power. If Imamoglu is barred from running for president or imprisoned, it would be a huge blow to Turkiye’s democracy. At this critical moment in the region, where Syria is paving a new future, Hezbollah is weakened in Lebanon, and Hamas’ fate is near, eyes are on Turkiye. As a key projector of power in the Middle East, a democratic Turkiye would likely be an amenable partner for the West to further regional stability. If autocracy wins, a force for peace could remain out of reach.
The Reason Trump Is Fighting the Houthis
What is the Houthis’ role in Iran’s web of terror proxies? And how does the Trump administration’s recent decision to directly engage militarily in Yemen impact Iran? Iran expert Farhad Rezaei joins Dominique to discuss.
4 Lessons from the Gazans’ Protests Against Hamas
Read what lessons the West should learn from the protests in Gaza by one of our staff members in The Times of Israel.
VIP Policy Briefing with Caroline Glick
Philos’ Conference of Christian Presidents for Israel hosted its first VIP event this week. Our featured speaker, Caroline Glick, is a Special Advisor to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and spoke on U.S.-Israel relations under the Trump administration. Read about our new initiative here.
Reflecting on One Year As Executive Director
A year ago, I stepped into the role of Executive Director at The Philos Project, and it has been one of the greatest blessings of my life. Leading this organization—when the world is changing in radical ways—has been both a challenge and a privilege.
Philos has always stood for a clear and unapologetic vision: to galvanize Christian support for Israel and the Jewish people. But October 7th changed everything. It demanded that we do more, move faster, and refuse to be passive in the face of rising antisemitism and historical revisionism.
To that end, we expanded our social media presence and took action in the real world—on October 7th of last year, we gathered thousands on the National Mall to honor the victims of 10/7, demand justice, and call for the release of the remaining hostages. Our work has been featured in major publications and news outlets, proving that Philos is shaping the conversation, not just reacting to it.
But it’s not just about making noise—it’s about real, strategic change. This year, we launched the Conference of Christian Presidents for Israel, are growing Generation Zion, and are equipping Philos Catholic and Philos Latino to continue to impact their respective communities. And Philos Black is taking bold steps in its journey as a testament to its strength and impact.
A year in, I can say with certainty: Philos is stronger than ever. We are building something that will last, something that matters. And we are just getting started.
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In Christ,
Luke Moon