A group of 60 French Jewish immigrants arrived in Israel on Tuesday on a flight sponsored by a Jerusalem-based evangelical Christian organization.
The move, which comes amid a rise in global antisemitism triggered by the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas-led invasion of southern Israel, highlights the burgeoning ties between the evangelical Christian community around the world and the Jewish state.
“This is more than just a flight, it’s prophecy in motion,” said Peter Fast, International CEO of Bridges for Peace. “When Christians from around the world come together to help Jewish families return to Israel, we are not only taking part in a humanitarian mission; we are standing in alignment with the ancient words of the Hebrew prophets.”
Evangelical Christians believe that the return of the Jews to their ancient homeland as foretold in the Bible will herald the coming of the Messiah.
The $150,000 flight was carried out in coordination with Keren Hayesod, the preeminent fundraising organization for Israel.
Last month, over 100 new immigrants from Europe arrived in Israel, just one day after the ceasefire with Iran took effect.
Since the Hamas-led massacre on Oct. 7, 2023, more than 45,000 new immigrants have arrived in Israel, with about a third under the age of 35, according to Israel’s Aliyah and Integration Ministry.
Despite the ongoing war, some 32,000 immigrants came to Israel in 2024—about a 30% percent decrease compared to the previous year.
