Church leaders in Jerusalem warn against "Christian Zionism"

Senior Christian leaders in Jerusalem have issued a stark warning against growing outside interference, which they say threatens the unity and future of Christianity in the Holy Land, Al Jazeera reports.

In a statement released on Saturday, the patriarch and church leaders warned against the spread of "harmful ideologies" such as Christian Zionism, which they say misleads the public, sows confusion, and divides believers.

They say this influence is also supported by political actors in Israel and abroad. Church leaders accused these groups of undermining the Christian presence not only in Jerusalem but throughout the Middle East.

The churches' concern is growing, especially over Israeli policies—including land confiscation, pressure on church property, and settlement expansion—which they say threaten Palestinian Christians. They also specifically criticized the support of Israeli projects by American evangelicals, which they say aids the occupation and marginalizes local Christian communities.

The leaders also objected to the fact that those promoting these agendas are welcomed at the official level, which they perceive as a violation of the autonomy of churches. At the same time, they drew attention to the growing attacks by settlers on Christian sites in the West Bank, which threaten the existence of communities and their heritage.

(max)