By: Fern Sidman

In the immediate wake of the passing of Ozzy Osbourne, legendary frontman of Black Sabbath and patriarch of heavy metal, a torrent of tributes poured in across the internet. Yet even amid the reverent mourning, a contingent of online leftists sought to posthumously discredit the late rock icon—not for his music, his personal controversies, or his pioneering presence in reality television, but for his unwavering support of the State of Israel.

As reported on Thursday by The New York Post, Osbourne, who died Tuesday at the age of 76, is now being targeted online for his decades-long defiance of anti-Israel cultural boycotts and his vocal opposition to antisemitism. In an age where digital posturing often eclipses real-world legacy, the late Prince of Darkness has become the latest high-profile target of ideological purity tests levied by anti-Israel factions.

Lefty keyboard warriors try to posthumously cancel Ozzy Osbourne for performing in Israel: ‘Broke the boycott’ https://t.co/FtRsQ8antP pic.twitter.com/OvqeP2Vqy8

— New York Post (@nypost) July 23, 2025

The backlash erupted swiftly on social media, where far-left accounts began circulating messages condemning Osbourne’s performances in Israel and his condemnation of antisemitism. One widely shared post by the account “Antifa Ultras” on X (formerly Twitter) declared, “Ozzy Osbourne was a supporter of Zionism,” before accusing the musician of breaking the cultural boycott of Israel and encouraging other artists to do the same. The post, according to the report at The New York Post, received more than 95,000 likes and generated nearly 7 million impressions, underscoring the viral nature of the backlash.

Was never a huge Sabbath head, but I read this about 15 years ago when a friend gave it to me. What’s funny is that this friend also eventually turned out to be a genocidal Zionist. So fuck him and Ozzy too.

Yet despite them, Black Sabbath still rules, no one can take that away. pic.twitter.com/mxqrz7TKxu

— BurningTheta (@BurningKarma2) July 24, 2025

Above an example of the mentally ill, anti Iarael mind virus  

“Ozzy Osbourne was a supporter of Zionism. He broke the boycott by performing in Israel and, during a time when thousands of children in Gaza were being killed, he called on other artists to do the same. Never forget that,” the post read.

Other users echoed the sentiment. A tweet from the account “ProudSocialist” claimed, “Ozzy Osbourne recently signed a letter to stop the BBC from airing a documentary chronicling Israel’s genocide in Gaza. It’s a stain on his legacy and a far cry from his Black Sabbath days when he released the song ‘War Pigs.’” The implication was that Osbourne’s anti-war ethos from his early music was somehow incompatible with his support for Israel.

A third post from “People’s City Council – Los Angeles” accused Osbourne of being a “rabid zionist” and criticized recent commendations he received from the Israeli government. “This is who y’all are celebrating. Ozzy Osbourne was a rabid zionist who just this year was commended by the Israeli government for calling out the ‘systematic bias against Israel’ by the BBC,” the post read.

One of the most influential rock musicians of all time just died, and Twitter influencers are condemning him for being a ZIONIST.

Not everything is about your pet obsession.

RIP Ozzy. pic.twitter.com/wqg2g0tOCK

— John Aziz (@aziz0nomics) July 22, 2025

As The New York Post reported, Osbourne’s support for Israel was not casual or symbolic. He performed twice in Israel—first in 2010 as part of his Ozzfest tour in Tel Aviv, and again in 2018 during his “No More Tours 2” farewell series. His defiance of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which urges global artists to shun performances in Israel, positioned him as a rare voice of solidarity in a music industry increasingly susceptible to anti-Israel pressure campaigns.

The Times of Israel also confirmed Osbourne’s participation in both events and noted that his performances drew large audiences, underscoring his enduring popularity among Israeli fans.

According to the information provided in The New York Post report, Osbourne also made headlines in 2024 when he publicly rebuffed rapper Kanye West’s request to sample Black Sabbath’s iconic track “Iron Man.” Osbourne tweeted that he wanted “no association” with West, whom he accused of antisemitism.

This decision resonated strongly with fans of the Jewish community, further affirming his public stance against hatred. Osbourne’s moral clarity on the matter was widely celebrated—at least until it became political fodder for anti-Zionist criticism following his death.

Though Osbourne was not Jewish himself, his decades-long marriage to television personality and music manager Sharon Osbourne—who is Jewish—added personal gravity to his views on antisemitism. As The New York Post has reported, Sharon Osbourne has frequently spoken about Ozzy’s bewilderment at the persistence of anti-Jewish hatred in public discourse.

“Ozzy is so confused by it all and just keeps asking me to explain why there is so much hatred of Jews,” Sharon said in a 2023 interview with Jewish News. “What do I say?”

This bewilderment translated into firm positions. For Osbourne, standing against antisemitism and supporting Israel appeared not to be a political maneuver but a deeply personal and moral imperative. His advocacy came not from expediency but from a desire to stand in solidarity with his family and his values.

The effort to cancel Osbourne in death reflects a broader cultural fault line over how legacies are interpreted in a hyper-politicized age. As The New York Post has repeatedly emphasized in its coverage, posthumous reputational attacks on celebrities have become increasingly common, especially when figures express support for Israel or condemn antisemitism.

These retrospective purity tests, often performed in real-time on platforms like X, seem less concerned with a lifetime of contributions than with a singular deviation from leftist orthodoxy on the Middle East. For many fans, this attempt to recast Osbourne’s legacy has little to do with his music or humanitarian efforts and more to do with ideological retribution.

Despite the attacks, Osbourne’s cultural imprint remains indelible. From pioneering heavy metal music with tracks like “Iron Man” and “Crazy Train,” to transforming celebrity culture through “The Osbournes” reality show, he was a figure of enduring relevance. As The New York Post report noted, Osbourne remained a fixture of popular culture for more than five decades—both admired and reviled, but never ignored.

Now, in death, his commitment to standing up for Jewish communities and for Israel has become yet another chapter in his complex, multi-faceted legacy. For many, that chapter is a testament to his character. For others, it is a point of contention.

But what remains beyond dispute is that Ozzy Osbourne was never one to cower before popular opinion or controversy. And as tributes continue to flood in from fans, musicians, and public figures around the world, the attempt to tarnish his legacy on political grounds appears destined to fail.

In the words of Sharon Osbourne, perhaps the most fitting tribute is not one of political alignment, but of simple bewilderment at a world still struggling with hate: “What do I say?” she asked. For many who admired Ozzy Osbourne—not just as an artist, but as a human being—the answer is clear: You say thank you.