An Israeli teen running a Taylor Swift update account refusing to join the IDF, being sent to prison (where she had a gay romance, punched a racist guard, and read smuggled in One Direction fan fiction) going viral, and using her fame to advocate for the liberation of Palestine…is peak 2019.

Na’ama’s incredible story has taken Twitter by storm in what one user is describing as “might be the new best 3 tweet story ever.” Na’ama’s refusal to comply with Israel’s mandatory military service stems from her support of Palestinian freedom and denouncement of Israeli occupation in Palestine. Now, many have decided to stan Na’ama for her own story of activism.

The initial tweet that went viral featured a screenshot of an exchange between Na’ama’s account (LegitTayUpdates) and another user explaining why she had been in prison.

But, the screenshot was just the beginning.

From the look of things, it all seems fairly legitimate. Na’ama asks that her anonymity be kept intact for fear of being thrown back in prison. She tweeted: “If the news channel כאן11 see this, please know I do NOT want to be crucified publicly in Israel I would MUCH rather have my activism (or whatever you wanna call it) be AS ANONYMOUS AS POSSIBLE.”

Na’ama’s initial announcement that she was going to prison for refusing to enlist came on February 1, 2019. She explained in another tweet that while, yes, some may be exempt from service, she was not because “they proved I wasn’t a true pacifist (I told them I’d punch a Nazi).”

While in prison, Na’ama wrote handwritten notes to her friend Noya who relayed them to Twitter. The handwritten messages were a glimpse into Na’ama’s day-to-day in prison. She gushed about meeting a cute girl, complained of no one in prison liking Carly Rae Jepsen, and lamented not being able to get high to pass the time.

Her notes even included funny anecdotes like someone sneaking in a binder full of One Direction fanfiction.

All the while, she even managed to post updates to her account with a handwritten note for the stan community speculating on Taylor’s pregnancy:

Noya continued to post on Na’ama’s personal twitter for her with updates. “She did punch a racist guard.”

And on April 2nd, Na’ama was free, tweeting: “WAKE UP SWIFTIES I GOT OUT OF PRISON AND MISSED YOU.” Once Na’ama was out of prison and her story blew up, she decided to use the newfound attention to support her cause further and implore people to donate to the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund.

Now, Na’ama is adjusting to the attention her account is getting and she’s using her platform to amplify pro-Palestinian voices. The story’s been picked up by outlets like Mashable and i-D, and now the Israeli press is interested in speaking to Na’ama, who would like to remain anonymous for fear of being thrown back in prison.

While the Taylor Swift fandom adds an entertaining aspect to the story, the real feat lies in Na’amas unwavering dedication to Palestinian liberation and the great lengths she went to advocate for a cause she believes in.

Sara is a music and culture writer who lives in Brooklyn. Her work has previously appeared in PAPER magazine and Stereogum.

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