
The American Jewish Committee introduced in early August a donation of $25,000 to restore Holy Household Church in Gaza Metropolis, facilitated by Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York. The welcome gesture comes after a month of tumult for the connection between Israel and the Christian world.
Holy Household, the one Catholic church in Gaza, was hit by an Israeli assault on July 17 that tragically killed three civilians sheltering there, resulting in criticism of the Israeli authorities even from staunch allies like President Trump. The IDF issued a uncommon public apology afterward, indicating that the strike was unintentional and that the church was not a goal, and introduced after an investigation that an errant mortar spherical had hit the church. Israel additional refined its protocols for exercise close to spiritual websites.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu known as Pope Leo to apologize for the strike and even granted uncommon entry into Gaza to Christian leaders, together with the Catholic Church’s patriarch Cardinal Pizzaballa, who admirably confirmed his dedication to his flock within the aftermath. However, Pizzaballa repeatedly insinuated that the assault was deliberate earlier than any additional investigation, reflecting the mistrust that has grown in some Christian circles towards Israel.
To talk about the matter bloodlessly, the Holy Household strike was one of many best PR disasters Israel has confronted to American Christian audiences over the course of the conflict in Gaza, and it comes amid a collection of incidents that might drive a wedge between Israel and Christians close to and much.
Tensions flared up between Israeli settlers and Palestinians over the course of July in Taybeh, the one solely Christian city within the West Financial institution. Preliminary information studies {that a} church had been burned had been debunked, however fires broke out between July 7 and 11 and drew the ire of native Christian clergy and the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee. Whether or not Israelis or Palestinians began the fires was disputed, however church leaders blamed Israeli settlers, and one other assault within the early hours of July 28 drew comparable reactions.
Additional battle between Israel and the Christian neighborhood — whether or not in Israel, Palestine, or elsewhere — might imperil Israel’s assist globally and the prospects of long-term peace. Christians within the West, particularly the USA, are a significant motive for widespread assist of Israel’s proper to exist and to defend itself. This builds off a shared historical past between Christians and the Jewish individuals, in addition to the shared Western norms prevalent in each America and Israel. Although Israel is a sovereign nation, it doesn’t exist in a vacuum, and the immense function that U.S. Christians play in Israel’s protection needs to be acknowledged. And whereas a lot of Israel’s obvious Christian drawback is sadly the results of anti-Israel bias within the press and amongst sure teams, it’s in Israel’s curiosity to set the report straight.
Within the U.S., we’ve seen antisemitism balloon on the Left, however there’s additionally a small however rising antisemitic contingent on the ostensibly Christian Proper. They promote a picture of widespread persecution of Christians for his or her religion by Israel or Jews, regardless of little proof of this occurring at scale. They depend on remoted tragedies just like the Holy Household strike to recommend Jews are fixated on killing Christians. They spotlight the dangerous habits of people or small teams of Jews, corresponding to ultra-Orthodox Jews in Jerusalem spitting on Christian clergy and congregants — habits that’s restricted to a small neighborhood to start with and has been repeatedly prosecuted; condemned when it happens.
The pattern of antisemitism is unacceptable, and supreme duty lies with those that perpetrate it, however Israeli management can be silly to not do its greatest to self-police anti-Christian habits when it happens — notably as a few of Netanyahu’s home allies appear ill-prepared to handle Israel’s relationship with Christians at residence and overseas.
However, some promising steps have already been made in Israel. On July 16, the nation’s Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi and the President of the Chief Rabbinate Council declared the abuse of Christian clergy “completely forbidden” and rightly famous that it “undermines and destroys any cooperation between the residents of Israel.” And a few American Jews and Christians have taken their very own steps towards repairing relations, because the American Jewish Committee’s reward to Holy Household Church reveals — coming with the acknowledgement of the Catholic Archdiocese of New York’s help in rebuilding properties destroyed within the assaults by Hamas in Israel on October 7, 2023.
Dropping vital floor with Christians globally — particularly in America — can be an infinite blow to Israel’s personal means to maintain itself protected in a harmful neighborhood. And whereas some will all the time stay skeptical, Israel will greatest serve itself by being as sturdy of a companion as doable to its Christian allies.
Mike Viola is a Center East Historical past & Peace Fellow at Younger Voices and an incoming MBA candidate. His work has appeared in publications such because the Chicago Tribune, Nationwide Evaluation, and the Nationwide Curiosity. Comply with him on X and Substack: @mikeviola.

The American Jewish Committee introduced in early August a donation of $25,000 to restore Holy Household Church in Gaza Metropolis, facilitated by Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York. The welcome gesture comes after a month of tumult for the connection between Israel and the Christian world.
Holy Household, the one Catholic church in Gaza, was hit by an Israeli assault on July 17 that tragically killed three civilians sheltering there, resulting in criticism of the Israeli authorities even from staunch allies like President Trump. The IDF issued a uncommon public apology afterward, indicating that the strike was unintentional and that the church was not a goal, and introduced after an investigation that an errant mortar spherical had hit the church. Israel additional refined its protocols for exercise close to spiritual websites.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu known as Pope Leo to apologize for the strike and even granted uncommon entry into Gaza to Christian leaders, together with the Catholic Church’s patriarch Cardinal Pizzaballa, who admirably confirmed his dedication to his flock within the aftermath. However, Pizzaballa repeatedly insinuated that the assault was deliberate earlier than any additional investigation, reflecting the mistrust that has grown in some Christian circles towards Israel.
To talk about the matter bloodlessly, the Holy Household strike was one of many best PR disasters Israel has confronted to American Christian audiences over the course of the conflict in Gaza, and it comes amid a collection of incidents that might drive a wedge between Israel and Christians close to and much.
Tensions flared up between Israeli settlers and Palestinians over the course of July in Taybeh, the one solely Christian city within the West Financial institution. Preliminary information studies {that a} church had been burned had been debunked, however fires broke out between July 7 and 11 and drew the ire of native Christian clergy and the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee. Whether or not Israelis or Palestinians began the fires was disputed, however church leaders blamed Israeli settlers, and one other assault within the early hours of July 28 drew comparable reactions.
Additional battle between Israel and the Christian neighborhood — whether or not in Israel, Palestine, or elsewhere — might imperil Israel’s assist globally and the prospects of long-term peace. Christians within the West, particularly the USA, are a significant motive for widespread assist of Israel’s proper to exist and to defend itself. This builds off a shared historical past between Christians and the Jewish individuals, in addition to the shared Western norms prevalent in each America and Israel. Although Israel is a sovereign nation, it doesn’t exist in a vacuum, and the immense function that U.S. Christians play in Israel’s protection needs to be acknowledged. And whereas a lot of Israel’s obvious Christian drawback is sadly the results of anti-Israel bias within the press and amongst sure teams, it’s in Israel’s curiosity to set the report straight.
Within the U.S., we’ve seen antisemitism balloon on the Left, however there’s additionally a small however rising antisemitic contingent on the ostensibly Christian Proper. They promote a picture of widespread persecution of Christians for his or her religion by Israel or Jews, regardless of little proof of this occurring at scale. They depend on remoted tragedies just like the Holy Household strike to recommend Jews are fixated on killing Christians. They spotlight the dangerous habits of people or small teams of Jews, corresponding to ultra-Orthodox Jews in Jerusalem spitting on Christian clergy and congregants — habits that’s restricted to a small neighborhood to start with and has been repeatedly prosecuted; condemned when it happens.
The pattern of antisemitism is unacceptable, and supreme duty lies with those that perpetrate it, however Israeli management can be silly to not do its greatest to self-police anti-Christian habits when it happens — notably as a few of Netanyahu’s home allies appear ill-prepared to handle Israel’s relationship with Christians at residence and overseas.
However, some promising steps have already been made in Israel. On July 16, the nation’s Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi and the President of the Chief Rabbinate Council declared the abuse of Christian clergy “completely forbidden” and rightly famous that it “undermines and destroys any cooperation between the residents of Israel.” And a few American Jews and Christians have taken their very own steps towards repairing relations, because the American Jewish Committee’s reward to Holy Household Church reveals — coming with the acknowledgement of the Catholic Archdiocese of New York’s help in rebuilding properties destroyed within the assaults by Hamas in Israel on October 7, 2023.
Dropping vital floor with Christians globally — particularly in America — can be an infinite blow to Israel’s personal means to maintain itself protected in a harmful neighborhood. And whereas some will all the time stay skeptical, Israel will greatest serve itself by being as sturdy of a companion as doable to its Christian allies.
Mike Viola is a Center East Historical past & Peace Fellow at Younger Voices and an incoming MBA candidate. His work has appeared in publications such because the Chicago Tribune, Nationwide Evaluation, and the Nationwide Curiosity. Comply with him on X and Substack: @mikeviola.

The American Jewish Committee introduced in early August a donation of $25,000 to restore Holy Household Church in Gaza Metropolis, facilitated by Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York. The welcome gesture comes after a month of tumult for the connection between Israel and the Christian world.
Holy Household, the one Catholic church in Gaza, was hit by an Israeli assault on July 17 that tragically killed three civilians sheltering there, resulting in criticism of the Israeli authorities even from staunch allies like President Trump. The IDF issued a uncommon public apology afterward, indicating that the strike was unintentional and that the church was not a goal, and introduced after an investigation that an errant mortar spherical had hit the church. Israel additional refined its protocols for exercise close to spiritual websites.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu known as Pope Leo to apologize for the strike and even granted uncommon entry into Gaza to Christian leaders, together with the Catholic Church’s patriarch Cardinal Pizzaballa, who admirably confirmed his dedication to his flock within the aftermath. However, Pizzaballa repeatedly insinuated that the assault was deliberate earlier than any additional investigation, reflecting the mistrust that has grown in some Christian circles towards Israel.
To talk about the matter bloodlessly, the Holy Household strike was one of many best PR disasters Israel has confronted to American Christian audiences over the course of the conflict in Gaza, and it comes amid a collection of incidents that might drive a wedge between Israel and Christians close to and much.
Tensions flared up between Israeli settlers and Palestinians over the course of July in Taybeh, the one solely Christian city within the West Financial institution. Preliminary information studies {that a} church had been burned had been debunked, however fires broke out between July 7 and 11 and drew the ire of native Christian clergy and the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee. Whether or not Israelis or Palestinians began the fires was disputed, however church leaders blamed Israeli settlers, and one other assault within the early hours of July 28 drew comparable reactions.
Additional battle between Israel and the Christian neighborhood — whether or not in Israel, Palestine, or elsewhere — might imperil Israel’s assist globally and the prospects of long-term peace. Christians within the West, particularly the USA, are a significant motive for widespread assist of Israel’s proper to exist and to defend itself. This builds off a shared historical past between Christians and the Jewish individuals, in addition to the shared Western norms prevalent in each America and Israel. Although Israel is a sovereign nation, it doesn’t exist in a vacuum, and the immense function that U.S. Christians play in Israel’s protection needs to be acknowledged. And whereas a lot of Israel’s obvious Christian drawback is sadly the results of anti-Israel bias within the press and amongst sure teams, it’s in Israel’s curiosity to set the report straight.
Within the U.S., we’ve seen antisemitism balloon on the Left, however there’s additionally a small however rising antisemitic contingent on the ostensibly Christian Proper. They promote a picture of widespread persecution of Christians for his or her religion by Israel or Jews, regardless of little proof of this occurring at scale. They depend on remoted tragedies just like the Holy Household strike to recommend Jews are fixated on killing Christians. They spotlight the dangerous habits of people or small teams of Jews, corresponding to ultra-Orthodox Jews in Jerusalem spitting on Christian clergy and congregants — habits that’s restricted to a small neighborhood to start with and has been repeatedly prosecuted; condemned when it happens.
The pattern of antisemitism is unacceptable, and supreme duty lies with those that perpetrate it, however Israeli management can be silly to not do its greatest to self-police anti-Christian habits when it happens — notably as a few of Netanyahu’s home allies appear ill-prepared to handle Israel’s relationship with Christians at residence and overseas.
However, some promising steps have already been made in Israel. On July 16, the nation’s Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi and the President of the Chief Rabbinate Council declared the abuse of Christian clergy “completely forbidden” and rightly famous that it “undermines and destroys any cooperation between the residents of Israel.” And a few American Jews and Christians have taken their very own steps towards repairing relations, because the American Jewish Committee’s reward to Holy Household Church reveals — coming with the acknowledgement of the Catholic Archdiocese of New York’s help in rebuilding properties destroyed within the assaults by Hamas in Israel on October 7, 2023.
Dropping vital floor with Christians globally — particularly in America — can be an infinite blow to Israel’s personal means to maintain itself protected in a harmful neighborhood. And whereas some will all the time stay skeptical, Israel will greatest serve itself by being as sturdy of a companion as doable to its Christian allies.
Mike Viola is a Center East Historical past & Peace Fellow at Younger Voices and an incoming MBA candidate. His work has appeared in publications such because the Chicago Tribune, Nationwide Evaluation, and the Nationwide Curiosity. Comply with him on X and Substack: @mikeviola.

The American Jewish Committee introduced in early August a donation of $25,000 to restore Holy Household Church in Gaza Metropolis, facilitated by Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York. The welcome gesture comes after a month of tumult for the connection between Israel and the Christian world.
Holy Household, the one Catholic church in Gaza, was hit by an Israeli assault on July 17 that tragically killed three civilians sheltering there, resulting in criticism of the Israeli authorities even from staunch allies like President Trump. The IDF issued a uncommon public apology afterward, indicating that the strike was unintentional and that the church was not a goal, and introduced after an investigation that an errant mortar spherical had hit the church. Israel additional refined its protocols for exercise close to spiritual websites.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu known as Pope Leo to apologize for the strike and even granted uncommon entry into Gaza to Christian leaders, together with the Catholic Church’s patriarch Cardinal Pizzaballa, who admirably confirmed his dedication to his flock within the aftermath. However, Pizzaballa repeatedly insinuated that the assault was deliberate earlier than any additional investigation, reflecting the mistrust that has grown in some Christian circles towards Israel.
To talk about the matter bloodlessly, the Holy Household strike was one of many best PR disasters Israel has confronted to American Christian audiences over the course of the conflict in Gaza, and it comes amid a collection of incidents that might drive a wedge between Israel and Christians close to and much.
Tensions flared up between Israeli settlers and Palestinians over the course of July in Taybeh, the one solely Christian city within the West Financial institution. Preliminary information studies {that a} church had been burned had been debunked, however fires broke out between July 7 and 11 and drew the ire of native Christian clergy and the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee. Whether or not Israelis or Palestinians began the fires was disputed, however church leaders blamed Israeli settlers, and one other assault within the early hours of July 28 drew comparable reactions.
Additional battle between Israel and the Christian neighborhood — whether or not in Israel, Palestine, or elsewhere — might imperil Israel’s assist globally and the prospects of long-term peace. Christians within the West, particularly the USA, are a significant motive for widespread assist of Israel’s proper to exist and to defend itself. This builds off a shared historical past between Christians and the Jewish individuals, in addition to the shared Western norms prevalent in each America and Israel. Although Israel is a sovereign nation, it doesn’t exist in a vacuum, and the immense function that U.S. Christians play in Israel’s protection needs to be acknowledged. And whereas a lot of Israel’s obvious Christian drawback is sadly the results of anti-Israel bias within the press and amongst sure teams, it’s in Israel’s curiosity to set the report straight.
Within the U.S., we’ve seen antisemitism balloon on the Left, however there’s additionally a small however rising antisemitic contingent on the ostensibly Christian Proper. They promote a picture of widespread persecution of Christians for his or her religion by Israel or Jews, regardless of little proof of this occurring at scale. They depend on remoted tragedies just like the Holy Household strike to recommend Jews are fixated on killing Christians. They spotlight the dangerous habits of people or small teams of Jews, corresponding to ultra-Orthodox Jews in Jerusalem spitting on Christian clergy and congregants — habits that’s restricted to a small neighborhood to start with and has been repeatedly prosecuted; condemned when it happens.
The pattern of antisemitism is unacceptable, and supreme duty lies with those that perpetrate it, however Israeli management can be silly to not do its greatest to self-police anti-Christian habits when it happens — notably as a few of Netanyahu’s home allies appear ill-prepared to handle Israel’s relationship with Christians at residence and overseas.
However, some promising steps have already been made in Israel. On July 16, the nation’s Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi and the President of the Chief Rabbinate Council declared the abuse of Christian clergy “completely forbidden” and rightly famous that it “undermines and destroys any cooperation between the residents of Israel.” And a few American Jews and Christians have taken their very own steps towards repairing relations, because the American Jewish Committee’s reward to Holy Household Church reveals — coming with the acknowledgement of the Catholic Archdiocese of New York’s help in rebuilding properties destroyed within the assaults by Hamas in Israel on October 7, 2023.
Dropping vital floor with Christians globally — particularly in America — can be an infinite blow to Israel’s personal means to maintain itself protected in a harmful neighborhood. And whereas some will all the time stay skeptical, Israel will greatest serve itself by being as sturdy of a companion as doable to its Christian allies.
Mike Viola is a Center East Historical past & Peace Fellow at Younger Voices and an incoming MBA candidate. His work has appeared in publications such because the Chicago Tribune, Nationwide Evaluation, and the Nationwide Curiosity. Comply with him on X and Substack: @mikeviola.