Israel announced the appointment of its first special envoy to the Christian world on Thursday, after ties with Christian churches around the world had been strained by a series of incidents and scandals in recent months.

This includes Israel jailing two IDF soldiers who defaced a crucifix in southern Lebanon, as well as the spat surrounding the right of Catholic Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa to pray in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Palm Sunday.

The appointed envoy, George Deek, is “a veteran diplomat with 18 years of experience, who most recently served as Israel’s Ambassador to Azerbaijan and was the first Christian ambassador in Israel’s history,” according to the Foreign Ministry.

Deek grew up as an Israeli Arab Christian in the city of Jaffa, where “his father, Youssef Deek, served for many years as Chairman of the Orthodox Christian community in Jaffa and in Israel.”

“The State of Israel attaches great importance to its relations with the Christian world and with its Christian friends around the world,” stressed Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar.

Deek is Eastern Orthodox but also has Armenian heritage through his father’s side, embodying two of the largest Christian Arab denominations in the state of Israel.

“I am confident that George, a respected and experienced diplomat, will greatly contribute to the friendship and strengthening of the ties between the State of Israel and the Christian world.”

The appointment was greeted by broad praise for the move as well as for Deek himself, who said he was “honored” to fill the new role.

“I accept this responsibility with gratitude, humility, and a deep sense of duty. Today, I feel I am closing a circle. From the Sundays of my childhood sitting beside my father in church to this new diplomatic role, I carry with me the faith and values that shaped my life and my community,” he wrote on X.

“I take on this mission with a profound sense of responsibility: to serve, build bridges, and deepen the ties between Israel and Christian communities around the world.”

The Italian embassy in Israel congratulated Deek, adding he is “a friend of Italy and has always worked with absolute dedication to advance bilateral relations. He will be instrumental in fostering the relationship btw Israel & the Christian world.”

Reverend Johnnie Moore wrote on X, “I want to thank Israel for appointing Ambassador George Deek as its Special Envoy to the Christian World. George is a Christian from Jaffa whose family has lived in the city for generations. He is a dear friend & an incredible leader.”

Mariam Wahba, an Egyptian Christian and analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), said Deek is “the man for the job and has his work cut out for him.”

However, she added that “what is more important to Israel's relationship with the Christian world (whatever that means) is making sure someone is thinking about Christians at every level of government, and not just in an isolated 'special envoy' office and perhaps that is precisely what Ambassador George Deek intends to do.”

The creation of an office for a special envoy to the Christian world has been talked about for years by Israeli politicians. Two years ago, AIN Editor-in-Chief Joel Rosenberg urged that “it’s time for Netanyahu to keep his promise to appoint an ambassador to the Christian world.”

“Israel does not have a single senior-level emissary assigned to handle the global Christian portfolio,” Rosenberg noted at the time.

According to a report from Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics last December, Christians make up some 1.9% of the country’s population, numbering around 184,200.

This article was originally published by All Israel News.

News Source : https://www.christianpost.com/news/israel-appoints-first-special-envoy-to-christian-world.html