Israel Appoints First Envoy to Christian World

Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar announced on Thursday the appointment of George Deek, a veteran Arab Christian diplomat, as the country's first special envoy to the Christian world, a move aimed at bolstering relations with global Christian communities amid recent strains.

Deek, who most recently served as Israel's ambassador to Azerbaijan and became the nation's first Christian ambassador in that role, brings nearly two decades of diplomatic experience to the newly created position. Hailing from the mixed Jewish and Arab city of Jaffa, where his father long chaired the local Orthodox Christian community, Deek has often highlighted the bridging role of Israel's Christian minority in fostering interfaith ties. The Foreign Ministry stated that the envoy's duties will focus on deepening connections with Christian groups worldwide during a period of international challenges, including fragile ceasefires with Iran and its ally Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The timing of the appointment follows two notable incidents that heightened tensions between Israeli authorities and Christian leaders. Last month in Jerusalem, police initially barred Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin...