Jerusalem’s Christian Leaders Warn of Political Interference and ‘Christian Zionism’

Senior Christian leaders in Jerusalem have issued a rare and pointed warning against outside political and ideological interference that they say is threatening the unity and future of Christianity in the Holy Land.

In a statement released on Saturday, the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem said recent activities by local individuals promoting “damaging ideologies, such as Christian Zionism” are undermining the cohesion of historic Christian communities.

“These activities mislead the public, sow confusion, and harm the unity of our flock,” the church leaders said.

They warned that such efforts are being reinforced by “certain political actors in Israel and beyond”, accusing them of advancing agendas that could erode the Christian presence not only in the Holy Land but across the wider Middle East.

The unusually direct intervention reflects growing alarm among Palestinian Christians, who say Israeli policies are accelerating the decline of one of the world’s oldest Christian communities. Church leaders have long criticised land confiscation, illegal settlement expansion, pressure on church-owned property, and restrictions on movement as existential threats to Christian life in Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza.

The statement also pointed to the influence of evangelical movements abroad, particularly in the United States, where a powerful strand of Christian Zionism plays a significant role in shaping political and financial support for Israel.

Many adherents of Christian Zionism also embrace the “prosperity gospel”, which teaches that blessing Israel brings personal and financial reward. Critics argue that these beliefs translate into donations and lobbying that support settlement expansion, entrench occupation, and marginalise Palestinian Christians while weakening the authority of the historic churches of the Holy Land.

The patriarchs said they were “deeply concerned” that individuals promoting these agendas have been “welcomed at official levels both locally and internationally”.

“These actions constitute interference in the internal life of the churches,” the statement said, accusing outside actors of disregarding the authority and responsibility of Jerusalem’s traditional Christian leadership.

The warning comes amid mounting evidence of pressure on Christian institutions. A recent report by the Council of Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem cited “threats to Christian heritage, particularly in Jerusalem, the occupied West Bank, and Gaza”, including settler attacks, property disputes, and what it described as unjustified taxation measures.

The report stressed an “urgent need to protect Christian communities and our places of worship throughout the West Bank, where settler attacks increasingly target our churches, people and properties”.

Earlier this week, a senior Palestinian church body also condemned Israeli restrictions preventing teachers from the occupied West Bank from reaching Christian schools in occupied East Jerusalem. The Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs in Palestine said Israeli authorities have sharply limited work permits for teachers, disrupting education and denying hundreds of students access to schooling.