Israel appoints first Special Envoy to Christian World after several crises in recent months. All Israel News

Israel appoints first Special Envoy to Christian World after several crises in recent months

George Deek, veteran diplomat, grew up as Israeli Arab Christian in Jaffa

All Israel News Staff | Published: April 24, 2026 

Israel announced the appointment of its first Special Envoy to the Christian World on Thursday, after ties with Christian churches around the world had been strained by a series of incidents and scandals in recent months.

This includes Israel jailing two IDF soldiers who defaced a crucifix in southern Lebanon, as well as the spat surrounding the right of Catholic Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa to pray in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Palm Sunday.

The appointed envoy, George Deek, is “a veteran diplomat with 18 years of experience, who most recently served as Israel’s Ambassador to Azerbaijan and was the first Christian ambassador in Israel’s history,” according to the Foreign Ministry.

Deek grew up as an Israeli Arab Christian in the city of Jaffa, where “his father, Youssef Deek, served for many years as Chairman of the Orthodox Christian community in Jaffa and in Israel.”

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