Israel working on agenda to support Christians in Nigeria, says Netanyahu

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel isworking on an agenda to support beleaguered Christian communities in Nigeria. Netanyahu spoke on Friday during a meeting with evangelicalcommunity leaders in Florida while touting Israel as the only country in theword capable of protecting Christians. “I see the battle against us and the battle against ourJudeo-Christian tradition, basically being waged around the globe. And it’swaged 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 toAfrica, Nigeria. And we are conscious of the fact that Christians are beingpersecuted — across the Middle East, in Syria, in Lebanon, in Nigeria, inTurkey and beyond. “We’re also aware of the fact, as you are, that one countryprotects the Christian community — enables it to grow, defends it, and makessure that it thrive — and that country is Israel. There is no other. None. “We are joining an effort to have basically a united nationsor countries that support Christian communities around the world — beleagueredcommunities who deserve our help. “Just as you are helping us, we want to help back; and we’recapable of doing this. In Africa, with intel, in the Middle East, with a lot ofmeans that I won’t itemize each one. “This is what our agenda is; it’s a main part of ouragenda.” Netanyahu’s remarks came a day after his meeting with USPresident Donald Trump who had announced air strikes in Nigeria on ChristmasDay in fulfilment of his military intervention threat to stop an allegedChristian persecution in the country. On the same day as the strikes, Netanyahu said attacks onChristians in Nigeria has to come to an end. Israel is the only country to publicly side with the US onits claim of a “Christian persecution” in Nigeria. Both countries are known to be each other’s close allies.

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