Faith and diplomacy take center stage this week as hundreds of Christian leaders and lawmakers from more than 30 countries converge on Washington, D.C. on Tuesday for the annual Israel Allies conference, in a massive show of support for the Jewish state.
The event highlights anew the strength of the burgeoning ties between the largely conservative evangelical Christian community around the globe and Israel, even in the face of international opprobrium caused by the fallout from the war against Hamas.
The three-day gathering, which includes senior administration and congressional briefings, including an address by Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Mike Johnson, meetings with members of the White House Faith Office and a keynote address by Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi of Iran, will culminate with an award ceremony honoring U.S. President Donald Trump for his unflinching support for Israel.
The strong ties between evangelicals who see the return to the Jews foretold in the Bible and heralding the coming of the Messiah and the Jewish state has served as a powerful counterweight to the negative image of Israel caused by the war against Hamas in Gaza over the last two years which has sapped international support for Israel, especially among young people following events on social media.
Founded two decades ago, the Washington, D.C.-based Israel Allies Foundation has emerged as a global powerhouse of faith-based diplomacy, with a network of more than 1,600 parliamentarians in 64 countries, united by shared Judeo-Christian values.
“In light of the historic achievements in the region over the past year, this is a pivotal time to bring our international network of lawmakers into direct engagement with members of Congress to build stronger alliances, encourage coordinated action, and reinforce the central role of the U.S.-Israel partnership in global affairs,” said Jordanna McMillan, U.S. director of the Israel Allies Foundation.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said in Jerusalem this week that evangelical support for Israel is “more vital than ever” in the wake of the burst of antisemitism around the globe triggered by the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel.
Tens of millions of evangelical Christians live in the US alone, making up the bulwark of the Republican Party, along with hundreds of millions of others around the world
“Faith-based diplomacy has become a global force responsible for 80 percent of all Israel’s diplomatic success,” Josh Reinstein, president of the Israel Allies Foundation, told JNS. “President Trump has brought the who’s who of faith-based diplomacy into every facet of governance. The results speak for themselves.”
