I spent my childhood in Jaffa, attending church every Sunday with my father, the cantor of our Greek Orthodox church. In my younger years, I joined the Christian Scouts. Later, I became a leader and even managed our marching band, which was a significant local tradition. We proudly marched during Christmas and Easter, and celebrated various events such as weddings and baptisms. Our community was intimately familiar with each family’s traditions and interactions.
We were part of a typical Middle Eastern Christian community surrounded by Muslim and Jewish neighbors. We coexisted, studied, worked, and lived together harmoniously. Being a Christian, Arab, and Israeli, I felt secure and content. This backdrop sometimes leads me to question if the Israel depicted in media is different from the one I know.
Controversies surrounding the alleged siege on Christianity and the hostile environment portrayed in the media surprise me. Despite negative incidents involving religious radicals, Israel actively tackles these issues through legal systems, education, and religious leadership. Incidents where clerics have faced abuse are shameful and must be addressed.
Key questions often vanish in discussions: Do these extremist acts truly represent Israel? By that logic, several Western democracies would need revision due to the presence of antisemitic incidents, like the 6,274 recorded by the Anti-Defamation League in the United States in 2025, featuring 203 physical assaults. These numbers don’t define American society as inherently antisemitic, just as national figures of hate crimes in Spain don’t define these societies negatively.
The difference between societal character and individuals exists everywhere. However, Israel often faces disproportionate scrutiny. A violent act elsewhere is rightly labeled antisemitism; a similar act in Israel invites broader societal critique. This discrepancy does not contribute to logical analysis.
Christian demographics in Israel provide insight. Their population has grown from approximately 34,000 in 1950 to around 184,000 today. Christian contributions are evident, from an Arab Christian Supreme Court Justice participating in significant legal decisions to the active roles of Christians in medicine, academia, business, and governance.
Personally, as a former Christian Scout from Jaffa, I became a diplomat and Israel’s first Christian ambassador. I currently serve as Israel’s special envoy to the Christian World, seeking to strengthen ties with global Christian communities. This contradicts claims of hostility toward Christianity.
Israel recognizes ancient Christian identities and invests in Christianity’s heritage. Recent archaeological projects seek to uncover historical Christian sites, such as the likely hometown of Apostles Peter and Andrew, symbolizing coexistence in historical exploration.
International dynamics also show positive shifts, evidenced by the Lebanese Christian communities’ favorability toward Israel, possibly reflecting regional desires for stability and coexistence.
None of these realities excuse acts of hatred against Christians. Israel’s duty lies in improving law enforcement, amplifying religious leadership voices, and enhancing education. The extremist doesn’t deserve unwarranted representation of ten million Israelis.
This misrepresentation distorts a more complex, vibrant picture of reality. Christianity originated here and endures amidst regional challenges. While tragic declines in Christian populations in Syria and Iraq raise concerns, these discussions should focus on sustainable futures for Christian communities across the Middle East.
The essential question involves the future places where Christians lead meaningful lives. Ideally, this encompasses traditional lands alongside new opportunities arising from regional dialogues. In Israel, Christians actively worship, raise families, and contribute to society, shaping a shared future.
Ambassador George Deek, with 18 years of diplomatic experience, served previously as Israel’s ambassador to Azerbaijan and is now the nation’s Special Envoy to the Christian World. He has been a part of Jaffa’s Arab Christian community since childhood.