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Huckabee: Israel is the only Mideast country with a growing Christian population

The U.S. ambassador made the comment after meeting with the Jewish state’s newly appointed Special Envoy to the Christian world.

Huckabee
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee addresses the FOZ Ambassadors Summit in Jerusalem, Dec. 7, 2025. Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90.

U.S. ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee met on Thursday with Israel’s Special Envoy to the Christian world George Deek, and expressed his appreciation of the Jewish state for standing out as “the only country in the region with a growing Christian population.”

“Both our nations cherish religious liberty as the foundation of a free and prosperous society,” Huckabee tweeted.

Deek is the first Arab Christian to serve as an ambassador for Israel. He most recently served as Israel’s ambassador to Azerbaijan.

A prominent member of Jaffa’s Arab Christian community, he is the son of Youssef Deek, who long served as chairman of the city’s Orthodox Christian community.

“I am confident that George, a respected and experienced diplomat, will greatly contribute to the friendship and strengthening of the ties between the State of Israel and the Christian world,” Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said of the appointment last week.

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