Jerusalem – A recent joint statement by the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem addresses the themes of “unity” and “representation” among the Christian communities in the Holy Land. At the heart of the statement is a phenomenon that is being observed with growing concern within the church communities in the Holy Land: the hyper-activism of groups and individuals associated with networks of “Christian Zionism.”
In the joint statement of January 17, the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem reaffirm “before the faithful and before the world that the flock of Christ in this land is entrusted to the Apostolic Churches, which have borne their sacred ministry across centuries with steadfast devotion.” They then condemn “the recent activities undertaken by local individuals who advance damaging ideologies, such as Christian Zionism.” These activities “mislead the public, sow confusion, and harm the unity of our flock” and have found favor “among certain political actors in Israel and beyond.” These actors, in turn, “are seeking to push a political agenda which may harm the Christian presence in the Holy Land and the wider Middle East.”
The statement by the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches contains no direct references to organizations or individuals, but the description perfectly matches the modus operandi of groups like “The Israeli Christian Voice,” accredited by political actors both inside and outside Israel as representative organizations of Christians in the Holy Land.
“To claim authority outside the communion of the Church,” wrote the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem, “is to wound the unity of the faithful and burden the pastoral mission entrusted to the historic churches in the very land where our Lord lived, taught, suffered, and rose from the dead.” For this reason, they affirm in their joint statement that “they alone represent the Churches and their flock in matters pertaining to Christian religious, communal, and pastoral life in the Holy Land.”
“The Israeli Christian Voice” describes itself as a civil association registered in Israel, advocating for the interests and future of the local Christian community. Its leader, Colonel Ihab Shlayan, was recently seen alongside Israeli President Isaac Herzog in photos at the official meeting between the Head of State and the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches, held on January 12, 2026, to exchange New Year’s greetings. But, as Marie-Armelle Beaulieu writes on terrasanta.net, “the actual weight of this ‘Voice of Israeli Christians’ within the Christian public sphere in Israel “remains difficult to assess. The group lacks both recognized ecclesiastical affiliation and clear public support from the major local Churches. To what extent are the more than 18,000 followers of its Facebook page significant?”
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