Demand:
Helen Mirren said: "I saw Arabs being driven out of their homes in Jerusalem. But there was just this extraordinary, magical energy of a country just beginning to take root. It was an amazing time to be here.".
Rating:
Rating: Correct attribution
Context:
While the quote circulating on social media is rightly attributed to Mirren, it is missing important context, namely the sentence immediately preceding it: "I have witnessed some wrong things.".
In late May 2026, a meme (archived) appeared purportedly quoting actress Helen Mirren, claiming she witnessed "Arabs being driven out of their homes in Jerusalem" and that "it was an amazing time" to be in Israel. The quote circulated alongside a video of someone approaching Mirren in London in late May and calling her an "evil Zionist bitch" for her open support of Israel. .
In numerous posts on X and other platforms, Mirren reportedly wrote, "I saw Arabs being driven out of their homes in Jerusalem. But it was just this extraordinary, magical energy of a country just beginning to take root. It was an amazing time to be here.".
(X user @tykestakeonit)
Indeed, Mirren, who has long demonstrated support for the State of Israel, uttered the aforementioned words in an interview with Israeli media in 2023. However, the version of the quote presented on social media is missing the key sentence: "I witnessed things that were wrong." The rest of the passage is quoted accurately.
Therefore, we evaluate this as a correct attribution, but without taking into account the context.
In a 2023 interview with Israeli television channel Channel 12, Mirren discussed her role as Golda Meir in the film Golda. The video details Mirren's visit to Israel shortly after the 1967 Six-Day War, hitchhiking across the country, and volunteering on a kibbutz, an Israeli community settlement.
Mirren described her experience in Israel at the time:
I witnessed terrible things. I saw Arabs being driven out of their homes in Jerusalem. But it was just the extraordinary, magical energy of a country just beginning to take root. It was an amazing time to be here.
Mirren made the remark at the 8:13 mark in the video at the beginning of the Channel 12 article (archived).
In another segment of the interview, Mirren said, "I believe in Israel, I believe in the existence of Israel, and I believe that Israel must move forward into the future, for the rest of eternity. And I believe in Israel because of the Holocaust.".
Mirren also spoke out against cultural boycotts of Israel, stating that she felt it was wrong to withhold support for Israeli artists: "I believe it is the artistic community that will lead Israel forward." In 2024, during the Israeli bombing of Gaza, Mirren signed an open letter supporting Israel's participation in the Eurovision Song Contest.
Relatedly, in May 2026, rumors (archived) also circulated that Mirren and her co-star Tom Hardy's opposing views on Israel and Palestine led to Hardy's dismissal from the television show "Mobland." However, unnamed sources on the production team denied any political differences. The production team told the entertainment news outlet Variety that Hardy was not fired. On May 29, Mirren's verified Instagram account posted a photo of Hardy with the caption, "Love you now and always." At the time of this writing, Snopes could not independently confirm these rumors.
For more information, Snopes reported that thousands of film industry workers have pledged that they will not work with Israeli companies "complicit in genocide and apartheid against the Palestinian people.".
Sources:
«"Actress Helen Mirren Harassed in London for Zionist Position." Jerusalem Post, May 29, 2026. Accessed May 29, 2026.
«"Gene Simmons, Helen Mirren and Boy George have signed an open letter supporting Israel's participation in Eurovision." The Guardian, 15 February 2024. Television and radio. The Guardian, . Accessed 29 May 2026.
«"Helen Mirren: Israel Must Exist 'Forever' Because of the Holocaust." Times of Israel, August 28, 2023. Accessed May 29, 2026.
Izzo, Jack. "Thousands of Film Industry Workers Sign Letter Boycotting Israeli Film Companies, Not Jews." Snopes, September 14, 2025, . Accessed May 29, 2026.
Yossman, K.J. "Tom Hardy 'Not Fired' From 'MobLand,' Talks Underway to Return: 'Series Development is Underway' (EXCLUSIVE)." Variety, May 28, 2026, . Accessed May 29, 2026.
Please note: Please contact us. N12, August 28, 2023, . Accessed May 29, 2026.