By SUNTV Global | January 1, 2026
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced what he described as a “new front” in Israel’s global engagement, aimed at protecting Christian communities facing persecution across the Middle East and Africa, including Nigeria.
Netanyahu made the declaration during a public address delivered on Wednesday and later published on the official YouTube channel of the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office. The speech was directed at an audience he identified as Christian Zionists, whom he praised for their historical and ongoing support for the State of Israel.
According to Netanyahu, Christian Zionism played a decisive role in the emergence and survival of modern Israel. He described the relationship between Israel and Christian Zionists as a long-standing partnership that has endured through difficult periods.
“You are representatives of the Christian Zionists who made Jewish Zionism possible,” Netanyahu said. “This has been an enormous partnership, one that has stood the test of time through thick and thin.”
The Israeli leader noted that Israel had recently confronted what he termed a “seven-front war” and emerged, in his words, “in many ways victorious.” However, he stressed that a new and equally critical challenge had now arisen.
“But there’s an eighth front,” Netanyahu said. “And that is the battle for the hearts and minds of people, especially young people.”
He argued that the struggle was not limited to Israel alone but extended to its allies, particularly the United States, and what he described as the broader future of Western and Judeo-Christian civilization.
“This is not just Israel’s battle,” he said. “It is our common Judeo-Christian civilization’s battle, and it must be fought with the same determination and resolve as the other fronts.”
Netanyahu rejected the idea that religion should remain silent in the face of violence and extremism, insisting that terrorism must be directly confronted rather than rationalized.
“Faith should speak its voice,” he declared. “Terrorism should not be understood away. It must be confronted and defeated.”
The Prime Minister also disclosed that he had held discussions with U.S. President Donald Trump, during which he framed the challenges facing Israel and Christian communities as part of a wider global conflict.
“I see the battle against us and the battle against our Judeo-Christian tradition as one being waged around the globe,” Netanyahu said.
He identified what he described as “radical Shiite Islam and radical Sunni Islam” as the principal forces behind these threats, citing Iran and the Muslim Brotherhood as leading opposing movements. According to him, the influence of these groups extends beyond the Middle East into Europe, the United States, and Africa.
“They go to Europe, they go to the United States, they go to Africa — Nigeria,” Netanyahu stated.
Referring specifically to the plight of Christians, Netanyahu said Israel was acutely aware of the persecution faced by Christian communities in several countries, including Syria, Lebanon, Nigeria, Turkey, and others.
He claimed that Israel stands apart globally in its treatment of Christians, asserting that it is the only country in the region that actively protects Christian communities and enables them to grow and thrive.
“Israel is conscious of the fact that Christians are being persecuted across the Middle East and beyond,” he said. “Israel protects the Christian community, defends it, and ensures that it flourishes. There is no other country that does this.”
In a significant policy announcement, Netanyahu revealed that Israel was joining efforts to establish what he described as a “United Nations of countries” committed to supporting and protecting Christian communities worldwide, particularly those under severe threat.
He said Israel was prepared to contribute intelligence support in Africa and deploy other strategic capabilities in the Middle East to assist vulnerable Christian populations.
“Protecting Christian communities is a main part of our agenda,” Netanyahu said, adding that these efforts would continue “with greater force and greater might in the coming year.”
The speech concluded on a conciliatory note, with Netanyahu extending what he called a “belated Merry Christmas” and a New Year greeting to Christians around the world. He expressed hope for peace, security, and prosperity, particularly for Christian communities facing violence and discrimination.
As global attention turns to rising religious persecution in parts of Africa and the Middle East, Netanyahu’s announcement signals a new dimension of Israel’s foreign and security policy—one that places the protection of Christian communities firmly on its international agenda.
