Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel is developing an agenda aimed at supporting embattled Christian communities in Nigeria.
Netanyahu made the remarks on Friday while addressing evangelical community leaders in Florida, where he presented Israel as the only nation capable of safeguarding Christians globally.
“I see the battle against us and the battle against our Judeo-Christian tradition, basically being waged around the globe. And it’s waged primarily by two forces — radical Shiite Islam and radical Sunni Islam,” he said.
“That means the axis that is led by Iran, much battered, admittedly, but still there, and the Sunni axis led by the Muslim Brotherhood, which permeates everything.
”They go to Europe, they go to the United States, they go to Africa, Nigeria. And we are conscious of the fact that Christians are being persecuted — across the Middle East, in Syria, in Lebanon, in Nigeria, in Turkey and beyond.
“We’re also aware of the fact, as you are, that one country protects the Christian community — enables it to grow, defends it, and makes sure that it thrive — and that country is Israel. There is no other. None.
“We are joining an effort to have basically a united nations or countries that support Christian communities around the world — beleaguered communities who deserve our help.
“Just as you are helping us, we want to help back; and we’re capable of doing this. In Africa, with intel, in the Middle East, with a lot of means that I won’t itemize each one.
“This is what our agenda is; it’s a main part of our agenda.”
Netanyahu’s comments followed his meeting with United States President Donald Trump a day earlier. Trump had announced airstrikes in Nigeria on Christmas Day, citing a military intervention to halt alleged persecution of Christians in the country.
On the same day the strikes were carried out, Netanyahu stated that attacks on Christians in Nigeria must stop.
Israel remains the only country to openly align with the United States over claims of a “Christian persecution” in Nigeria.
Both nations are longstanding allies with close diplomatic and strategic ties.