
US ambassador to Israel says he has resolved visa issue for Evangelical Christians
"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.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Middle East Eye
2 hours ago
- Middle East Eye
Unrwa chief says Israel spread false aid theft claims to control relief
The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (Unrwa) has accused Israel of fabricating claims that Hamas was stealing large amounts of aid, saying the allegations were designed to push out humanitarian groups and tighten Israeli control over food distribution in Gaza. 'No proof of aid diversion in Gaza,' Unrwa Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini wrote on social media. He said the accusations were part of a deliberate effort to damage the reputation of international relief agencies. 'Claims were only aimed at tarnishing the reputation of the humanitarian community & attempting to replace it with a diabolic and politically motivated distribution scheme,' he added. 'It's time for principled and at scale humanitarian response including through Unrwa.'


Middle East Eye
2 hours ago
- Middle East Eye
US envoy blames UN, media and Hamas for Gaza chaos and failed truce
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has accused the United Nations, The New York Times, and Hamas of spreading 'lies and propaganda' to undermine aid operations and destabilise Gaza. Huckabee, a staunch supporter of Israel and an evangelical preacher, made the remarks in response to footage showing desperate Palestinians climbing onto an aid truck. 'Is the UN, NY Times, and Hamas all happy now?' he asked in a social media post. 'I'm sure Hamas is. Their lies and propaganda destroyed the ceasefire deal, tried to discredit safe and functioning GHF effort, emboldened Hamas and will result in this complete balagan [chaos]! Most sad for hostage families—grief prolonged.' His comments come as international experts continue to blame Israel's near-total blockade of food and supplies for the collapse of civil order and widespread hunger in Gaza.


Dubai Eye
4 hours ago
- Dubai Eye
Aid trucks move from Egypt to Gaza after Israel said it began airdrops
Aid trucks started moving towards Gaza from Egypt, Al Qahera News TV said on Sunday, after months of international pressure and warnings from relief agencies about starvation spreading in the Palestinian enclave. Israel said that it began aid airdrops to Gaza on Saturday and was taking several other steps to ease the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The Israeli military said "humanitarian corridors" would be established for safe movement of United Nations convoys delivering aid to Gazans and that "humanitarian pauses" would be implemented in densely populated areas. Dozens of trucks carrying tonnes of humanitarian aid moved towards the Karam Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing in southern Gaza, the Al Qahera correspondent said from the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza. International aid organisations say there is mass hunger among Gaza's 2.2 million people, with food running out after Israel cut off all supplies to the territory in March, before resuming it in May with new restrictions. Israel says it has let enough food into Gaza and accuses the United Nations of failing to distribute it. The United Nations says it is operating as effectively as possible under Israeli restrictions. Israel's announcement on airdrops came after indirect ceasefire talks in Doha between Israel and Hamas were broken off with no deal in sight. The Israeli military said in a statement that the airdrops would be conducted in coordination with international aid organisations and would include seven pallets of aid containing flour, sugar and canned food. Palestinian sources confirmed that aid had begun dropping in northern Gaza. Israel's foreign ministry said the military would "apply a 'humanitarian pause' in civilian centres and in humanitarian corridors" on Sunday morning. "The IDF emphasizes that there is no starvation in the Gaza Strip; this is a false campaign promoted by Hamas," the Israeli military said in its Saturday statement. "Responsibility for food distribution to the population in Gaza lies with the UN and international aid organisations. Therefore, the UN and international organisations are expected to improve the effectiveness of aid distribution and to ensure that the aid does not reach Hamas." AID SHIP INTERCEPTED The Israeli military stressed that despite the humanitarian steps, "combat operations have not ceased" in the Gaza Strip. Separately, international activists on an aid ship that set sail from Italy en route to Gaza said in a post on X that the vessel had been intercepted. The Israeli foreign ministry said on X that naval forces "stopped the vessel from illegally entering the maritime zone of the coast of Gaza," that it was being taken to Israeli shores and all passengers were safe. The UN said on Thursday that pauses in Gaza would allow "the scale up of humanitarian assistance" and said Israel had not provided enough route alternatives for its convoys hindering aid access.