Israel Creates a New Christian Outreach Post
Israel has named George Deek as its first special envoy to the Christian world, a job created after a stretch of incidents that embarrassed officials and gave critics fresh material. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said the post is meant to deepen ties with Christian communities worldwide. Deek is an Arab-Christian diplomat from Jaffa, with 18 years in service, and he once served as Israel’s ambassador to Azerbaijan and the first Christian ambassador in Israeli history. In government language, this is about friendship and better ties. In plain English, it is also about damage control, which remains a favorite growth sector for modern bureaucracy.
Recent Missteps Put Pressure on Jerusalem
The new appointment came after an IDF soldier was filmed striking a statue of Jesus with a sledgehammer in southern Lebanon. The soldier and the person who recorded the act were removed from combat duties and sentenced to 30 days in prison. Earlier in the week, Israeli police also blocked Latin Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa and other senior clergy from a Palm Sunday service at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stepped in and ordered full access. Netanyahu condemned the statue incident and said Israel protects religious freedom for all faiths. That is the kind of statement governments love to make after the smoke alarm has already done its job.
Christians Are Small in Number, But Still Noticed
Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics says Christians make up about 1.9 percent of the country’s population, or roughly 184,200 people. The Times of Israel also cited a 2024 Rossing Center report that documented 111 attacks against Christians, including physical assaults, damage to church property, and harassment. Most alleged attackers came from ultra-Orthodox and national-religious circles, and the victims were often clergy or people wearing visible Christian symbols. Outside Israel, the politics are just as layered. A Pew poll this month found white evangelical Christians remain the most supportive U.S. group toward Israel at 65 percent, with Jewish Americans close behind at 64 percent. NBC News also reported that 57 percent of Democrats view Israel negatively, while 54 percent of Republicans view it positively. So yes, the subject is faith, but the spreadsheet never sleeps.
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