Israel names former Azerbaijan envoy special representative to Christian world

Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar has appointed veteran diplomat George Deek to a newly created role as special envoy to the Christian world, in a move aimed at strengthening ties with Christian communities globally.

Deek, who most recently served as Israel’s ambassador to Azerbaijan, made history as the country’s first Christian ambassador, Caliber.Az reports via Israeli media.

He is a member of the Arab Christian community in Jaffa.

“The State of Israel attaches great importance to its relations with the Christian world and with its Christian friends around the world,” Sa’ar says, expressing confidence that Deek will help bolster those ties.

The appointment comes amid a series of incidents that have strained Israel’s relations with Christian communities. Last month, controversy arose when Latin Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa and other senior clergy were barred from Palm Sunday worship at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre due to wartime restrictions.

More recently, an Israeli Defence Forces soldier was photographed smashing a statue of Jesus with a sledgehammer in southern Lebanon. The act sparked widespread condemnation both domestically and internationally.

Following an investigation, the soldier involved, along with another who documented the incident, was removed from combat duty and sentenced to jail.

By Aghakazim Guliyev