In an apparent attempt to bolster weakening US public support for Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu has said that he will join American efforts to protect persecuted Christians around the world.
Evangelical Christians in America have historically been highly favourable towards Israel due to the Dispensationalism, the view that Israel and the Jewish people are still of central importance to God’s plans.
However, support for Israel has become a polarising issue, particularly on the right of American politics. Some conservative Christians, like Tucker Carlson, who is an episcopalian, have questioned whether it is right for the US government to apparently serve the interests of a foreign people allegedly at the expense of its own.
Speaking to an audience of evangelical leaders in Florida, Netanyahu said his country was working together with the US and other countries to protect persecuted Christians.
The Israeli Prime Minister said, “We are joining an effort to have basically a united nations of countries that support Christian communities around the world, beleaguered communities who deserve our help, just as you are helping us, we want to help back. And we’re capable of doing this.
“In Africa, with intel, in the Middle East, with a lot of means that I won’t itemize each one. This is what our agenda is, it’s a main part of our agenda, and it’s going to continue with greater force and greater might in this coming year.”
His comments appeared to reference airstrikes conducted by the US on Christmas Day targeting Islamist groups in Nigeria. Nigeria, despite a significant Christian population, sees more Christians killed for their faith every year than all other nations combined.
In recent months there have been increasing concerns about anti-Christian persecution in Israel itself.
Israeli authorities have been criticised for excessive restrictions on Christians visiting holy sites, particularly at festivals during Easter and for failing to prevent violent attacks by Israeli settlers on Christian communities in the West Bank.
