Palestinian Orthodox Archbishop Atallah Hanna Addresses Christian Zionism and Mike Huckabee’s Nomination as US Ambassador to Israel:
“We do not recognize what is called ‘Christian Zionism.’ This term does not exist in our Christian literature or ecclesiastical lexicon. The blending of Christianity and Zionism is entirely condemned and rejected by us, especially as Christianity is a religion of love, mercy, brotherhood, and peace, while Zionism is a racist and terrorist movement responsible for the disasters and setbacks our people have faced, culminating in the genocide being perpetrated against our beloved brothers and sisters in Gaza.
In America, there are individuals who call themselves ‘Christian Zionists.’ This phenomenon is despised and rejected by us because their literature is alien to Christian values. They interpret the Old Testament in a political manner that aligns with their agendas and interests, all of which serve the colonialist and racist Zionist project.
There is currently a nominee to be the U.S. ambassador to Tel Aviv who belongs to this group and even claims to be a Christian pastor. He alleges that there is no such thing as Palestine or a Palestinian people, as though he has not read history—or refuses to acknowledge it—that Palestine exists, and its people exist, whether he likes it or not.
It is regrettable that such individuals hold leadership positions in America. It is also unfortunate that they claim affiliation with Christianity, while Christianity is entirely innocent of their positions, rhetoric, and actions. If they were truly Christians, they would call for an end to the war in Gaza and Lebanon and advocate for a just solution to the Palestinian issue that preserves the dignity and freedom of the Palestinian people. However, these individuals are like ostriches that bury their heads in the sand, pretending they are in a different world.
No matter how much they ignore the existence of Palestine and its resilient and struggling people, Palestine exists, its people exist, and its history is glorious. To all those who deny Palestine’s existence or have not properly studied history, let me remind them: In the Fourth Ecumenical Council held in Nicaea in the fourth century AD, when the bishop of Jerusalem was given the title ‘Patriarch,’ he was named ‘Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem and All of Palestine.’ This demonstrates that Palestine existed and will continue to exist, and no one has the right to erase its existence. Palestine is mentioned in the Bible, and instead of these racists denying the existence of Palestinians, they should work towards resolving the Palestinian issue, which is the key to peace in our region and the world.
The solution to the Palestinian issue is not through erasing it or denying the existence of the Palestinian people, but by granting our people their legitimate rights to live in freedom and peace, like all other peoples of the world. Unfortunately, these Zionists do not believe in peace. They serve colonialist, racist agendas that are hostile to humanity. Denying the existence of the Palestinian people and Palestine itself is a mix of ignorance, hatred, racism, and adherence to a political agenda that lacks humanity and civility.
We reject all forms of racism and hatred, in every shape and color, and we reject the culture of war and violence. It seems there are those in the West who do not want wars to stop, so that arms factories remain open, with innocent people paying the price—slaughtered in cold blood, without any human or moral deterrent.
I reiterate that we reject the term ‘Christian Zionism’ because we consider it an insult to Christianity and its values. I urge journalists who wish to speak about such people to describe them as: the group falsely claiming affiliation with Christianity, while they are truly aligned with Zionism and its racist, barbaric ideologies and positions.”
