The Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem warned in a joint statement Jan. 17 that Christian Zionism and similar “damaging ideologies” advanced by certain individuals in Israel and Palestine “mislead the public, sow confusion, and harm the unity of our flock.”

“These undertakings have found favor among certain political actors in Israel and beyond who seek to push a political agenda which may harm the Christian presence in the Holy Land and the wider Middle East,” the Church leaders said.

The patriarchs affirmed that the historic Apostolic Churches hold pastoral authority over Christians in the Holy Land, noting these churches have “borne their sacred ministry across centuries with steadfast devotion.”

To underscore the importance of ecclesial unity, the patriarchs cited Romans 12:5, which teaches that “we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.” Claims to authority outside communion with the Church wound the Body of Christ 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,” they warned.

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The signatories, who represent the Roman Catholic, Eastern Catholic, Orthodox, and other Christian communities in the region, also expressed concern that individuals advancing these ideologies have been received at official levels, both locally and internationally.

“Such actions constitute interference in the internal life of the churches and disregard the pastoral responsibility vested in the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem,” the statement said, adding that the patriarchs alone “represent the Churches and their flock in matters pertaining to Christian religious, communal, and pastoral life in the Holy Land.”

The statement concluded with a prayer for wisdom and protection: “May the Lord, who is the Shepherd and Guardian of souls, grant wisdom for the protection of His people and the safeguarding of His witness in this sacred land.”

In response, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee issued a lengthy post on X, rejecting the patriarch’s criticism and defending Christian Zionism as a legitimate expression of Christian belief. 

Huckabee said no “sect of the Christian faith should claim exclusivity in speaking for Christians worldwide” and argued that support for the state of Israel is rooted in Scripture and God’s covenant with the Jewish people.

“Christians are followers of Christ and a Zionist simply accepts that the Jewish people have a right to live in their ancient, indigenous, and Biblical homeland,” he wrote. “It’s hard for me to understand why every one who takes on the moniker ‘Christian’ would not also be a Zionist.”

The patriarchs’ warning came hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu objected to the composition of the U.S.-led “Board of Peace” established under the Trump administration’s Gaza ceasefire framework. As CatholicVote previously reported, Netanyahu criticized in particular the subordinate Gaza Executive Board, saying it was “not coordinated with Israel and runs contrary to Israeli policy.” 

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The Patriarchs’  intervention also comes amid mounting concern over the erosion of Palestinian Christian communities due to violence, economic hardship, and displacement tied to Israeli settlement expansion, as CatholicVote has reported.

A December 2025 report by the Council of Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem warned that the continued expansion of illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank has contributed to the displacement of indigenous Christians in the Holy Land.

Pope Leo XIV echoed their concern in a Jan. 9 address to Vatican diplomats, warning that civilians in the Holy Land continue to face a grave humanitarian crisis. He also reaffirmed the Holy See’s support for a two-State solution, which he said “remains the institutional perspective for meeting the legitimate aspirations for both peoples.” 

“Yet sadly,” the Holy Father continued, “there has been an increase in violence in the West Bank against the Palestinian civilian population, which has the right to live in peace in its own land.”