JERUSALEM, Israel: Seeking to improve relations with the Christian world, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has appointed a new envoy for this purpose. Ambassador George Deek emphasizes the importance of this role and shares insights in an interview in Jerusalem.
Deek highlights the decline of Christian populations in the Middle East, which has dropped from 20% to under 2%. He notes that communities that once thrived have now diminished significantly.
We see the ethnic cleansing of the region from its Christians, who have been diminished from 20% of the population of the Middle East to less than 2% of the population today.
As the first envoy to the Christian world, Deek aims to build better bridges and share a fuller story of Israel. The country’s Christian population has grown from 34,000 in 1948 to over 180,000 today, supported by 300 churches, doubling the count since Israel’s establishment.
According to Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics, as of December 2025, the Christian community constitutes approximately 1.9% of Israel’s population, growing by 0.7% in the previous year.
Deek, previously ambassador to Azerbaijan, explains the motivation behind his appointment. He cites three factors for the position: the historical connection between Christians and Israel, the shared biblical values fostering societal principles, and the significance of maintaining relations with diverse religious communities.
It has a special relationship with the Christian people abroad and the Christian community in Israel, which is the only Christian community in the entire Middle East that is actually growing in numbers.
The International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ) praises Israel’s appointment of a special envoy, noting the importance of Christian-Jewish relations amid rising antisemitism.
Deek also addresses incidents of attacks on Christian symbols and individuals, strongly condemning these actions as contrary to Israel’s values of tolerance and acceptance. The state has taken serious measures, with perpetrators facing legal consequences.
As antisemitism spreads globally, Deek warns that such hate does not stop with Jews. He points to Hamas’s role in driving out Gaza’s Christian population. Within Israel, minority groups live safely and practice their beliefs freely.
Critics, including some from the left and Islamic extremists, accuse Israel of mistreatment of Christians. Deek seeks to counter this narrative by encouraging Christians to visit Israel and connect with their religious roots under Israel’s protection.
And, under the protection of Israel as the guardian of the holy sites of Christianity… to reconnect to these values and to remember that these are the biblical values that connect Jews, Christians and all the people of the book in this world.
Amelie Botbol is a freelance journalist in Tel Aviv. Her work appears in various international publications.