While many people and organizations that Jews once considered allies have turned their backs on them since the October 7 massacre and the start of the Gaza war, most Christians have continued to stand by Israel, according to Yael Eckstein, global president of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews.
Speaking to the ILTV News Podcast, Eckstein said the friendship between Christians and Israel has been tested over the past 18 months—and it has endured.
“It’s no longer cool to stand with Israel, it’s no longer politically correct necessarily to stand with Israel, and yet they don’t care what the winds of the time bring in politics and policy and social norms – the Christian community continues to stand with Israel,” Eckstein said. “In some ways that friendship is stronger than ever before, and we need this friendship more now than ever before.”
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She noted that the Fellowship raised more than $300 million from over 800,000 donors last year to support the organization’s efforts to feed the hungry, build bomb shelters, fortify hospitals, and more in Israel.
Most recently, evangelical Christian Mike Huckabee was named American ambassador to Israel—the first evangelical to hold the position. Eckstein said Huckabee not only understands Israel’s policies, but also appreciates the country’s spiritual message.
“I think this is something that will serve good for Israel-American relations, but I’ve seen many of my Christian friends who are in leadership positions are the ones who are flying to Arab countries and trying to create peace from that spiritual understand – Christians, Muslim and Jews – not just from a policy perspective, but a religious, spiritual perspective.”
She said it is not surprising that some of the first talks that led to the Abraham Accords—agreements signed between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Bahrain, and Sudan—began with conversations initiated by Christians. She said this gives her hope that Saudi Arabia or others could be soon.
“I hope that these next few years will be good for Israel, will be good for America, for Israel-America relations, and I really believe that they'll be good for the entire Middle East, who wants peace, prays for peace, and is willing to take hard steps,” Eckstein said.
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Podcast 02.05.2025
(ILTV)
