Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar names veteran Arab-Christian diplomat George Deek to a newly created role aimed at deepening Israel's ties with Christian communities worldwide.
George Deek and Gideon Sa'ar © X
Israel is strengthening its outreach to the global Christian community. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar has appointed George Deek as Special Envoy to the Christian World, a role designed to deepen and broaden the relationship between the Jewish state and Christian communities across the globe.
The appointment carries both symbolic and strategic weight. Deek is himself a member of the Arab-Christian community of Jaffa, one of Israel's oldest Christian communities, where his father Youssef Deek long served as president of the Orthodox Christian community.
His roots make him a living embodiment of the diversity that Israel seeks to project, and a credible interlocutor for Christian leaders worldwide.
A seasoned diplomat with 18 years of experience, Deek most recently served as Israel's Ambassador to Azerbaijan, where he made history as the country's first-ever Christian ambassador.
He is also a recipient of the Director General's Award for Excellence at the Foreign Ministry.
"The State of Israel attaches great importance to its relations with the Christian world and with its Christian friends across the globe," Sa'ar said in announcing the appointment.
"I am convinced that George, a respected and experienced diplomat, will contribute significantly to strengthening the friendship and bonds between the State of Israel and the Christian world."
The timing is notable. As Israel navigates a complex diplomatic landscape, from the conflict in Lebanon to fragile ceasefire negotiations, cultivating solid relationships with Christian communities, institutions and leaders worldwide represents both a moral commitment and a strategic asset.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun chaired a high-level meeting Tuesday with Army Commander General Rudolf Hage and members of the advisory team accompanying Lebanon's delegation to the Washington negotiations, as the fifth round of Lebanese-American-Israeli talks enters what he described as a potentially decisive phase.
Lebanon and Israel began a new round of talks on Tuesday in Washington, with Beirut determined to press ahead with direct negotiations even as they appear to be overshadowed by Iran's decision to make Lebanon part of its talks with the U.S.
Iranian chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf declared this week that the United States and Iran would jointly "guarantee Lebanon's unity and the integrity of its territories."
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