2 days ago
US ambassador to Israel says he has resolved visa issue for Evangelical Christians
US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said on Monday that he has finally resolved a visa issue that led to hurdles for American Evangelical Christian groups coming to Israel.
"Starting in January, a change in the manner which visas for Christian organizations had been processed for decades led to serious challenges bureaucratically and financially for the groups," Huckabee said in a statement posted to his X account.
"Upon arriving in Israel as Ambassador, I learned that the changes in the process were creating delays, costs, and significant burdens with paperwork. After a meeting with the Minister of Interior, we thought the problem was settled but organizations continued to have issues. I informed the Prime Minister's Office of the problem and pointed out how detrimental it was to the relationship of the State of Israel with the American evangelical community," he explained.
"The Christian organizations did not at any time ask for different or special treatment, but merely a return to what has been an efficient and satisfactory process for many years," Huckabee added.
"Attorney Calev Myers, an Israeli attorney who represents some 150 Christian groups in Israel, was instrumental in outlining the request and the Prime Minister's Office was supportive and involved in the resolution along with the Minister of the Interior," he said.
Evangelical Christians outnumber Jewish Americans in their staunch support for Israel in the US, and are represented by groups such as Christians United For Israel, among others, with influence on lawmakers in Washington.
