Israel appoints special envoy for dialogue with Christian world

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Israel Gideon Sa'ar with Special Envoy for Christian Affairs George Deek. Photo: The Times of Israel

On April 23, 2026, Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar appointed veteran diplomat George Deek to a newly created role as special envoy to the Christian world, reports The Times of Israel.

This decision was officially explained by the authorities' move “intended to deepen Israel’s ties with Christian communities around the world”. George Deek, who comes from an Arab Christian family in Jaffa, previously served as Israel's ambassador to Azerbaijan and became the first Christian to hold such a high diplomatic position in the country's history.

Gideon Sa’ar emphasized that the state attaches "great importance" to relations with Christian friends around the world, and expressed confidence that the appointment of the new representative would help strengthen these ties. Nevertheless, the creation of this position occurred against the backdrop of serious tension in Israel's relations with the Christian world.

In March 2026, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and other high-ranking clergy of the Roman Catholic Church were denied access to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Palm Sunday. The authorities explained this as "military restrictions," however, the incident provoked sharp criticism from Christian leaders of the Holy Land.

Another scandalous incident occurred in southern Lebanon, where an Israeli soldier smashed a statue of Jesus Christ with a sledgehammer. Video of this act of sacrilege appeared online and caused a wave of international condemnation. Following the investigation, two servicemen – the one who destroyed the shrine and the one who filmed it – were sentenced to 30 days in military prison.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) also promised to take measures against soldiers who "did not prevent the incident," however, the reputational damage had already been done.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that after the desecration of the statue of Christ in Lebanon, Israel installed a new one.

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