Rev. Munther Isaac, pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Beit Sahour, warned of an escalating Israeli targeting of the Christian presence in Palestine.
He stressed that what Christians are experiencing cannot be separated from the broader reality of the Palestinian people amid checkpoints, restrictions on access to Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and repeated attacks without accountability. Isaac said these measures, including preventing clergy from praying, go beyond security concerns and directly target the Church, freedom of worship, and the entire Christian presence, aiming to empty the land of its indigenous people, the Palestinians.
Isaac called on followers of Christian Zionism to repent, saying that this ideology contradicts the essence of Christ's teachings and represents "theological and spiritual corruption".
Rev. Munther Isaac is a Palestinian Christian born in Bethlehem. He is the pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Beit Sahour, academic dean of Bethlehem Bible College, and director of the "Christ at the Checkpoint" conferences organised by the college. Isaac is one of the most prominent voices of Palestinian Christianity, challenging Christian Zionism and defending Palestinian freedom. He is the author of " Christ Under the Rubble ", in which he addresses the genocide in Gaza, and a board member of the Kairos Palestine initiative.
In April 2024, Isaac became the first Palestinian Christian voice hosted by American commentator Tucker Carlson to deconstruct the Christian Zionist narrative on Palestine. He is among clergy barred by Israel from praying in Jerusalem, and the International Court of Justice cited some of his sermons in sessions examining Israeli crimes.
The full interview follows: How are Easter celebrations passing this year for Palestinian Christians? Palestinian Christians are like all Palestinians , living under checkpoints, settler violence, separation from Jerusalem, and being prevented from praying at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, just as Muslims are prevented from praying at Al-Aqsa Mosque.
We also feel there is direct targeting by the Israeli occupation, especially after four clergy were stopped on their way to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and prevented from praying.
This sends a message to the Church beyond what is described as Israeli security measures.
There is also a lack of accountability for settlers who attack churches and residents in the village of Taybeh near Ramallah, as is happening across occupied West Bank villages. Do you feel there is direct targeting of Christians? We have begun to feel as Christians that the Israeli occupation is targeting us in Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank to empty them of Christians, serving a Zionist narrative that presents the conflict as one between a civilised Western force and a coalition of traditional Judeo-Christian values against Islam and Arabs.
Our presence as Palestinian Christians is an obstacle to this narrative and to the Judaisation of the Holy Land and the full establishment of Israel.
This is why we feel there is targeting of the Christian presence, especially in Jerusalem and across historic Palestine. Why is attention focused on preventing clergy more than ordinary Christians? There is attention from the Vatican and other churches toward Palestinian Christians. Still, the Christian world is divided between those who support Israel, those who support Palestinian rights, and those who focus solely on Christian affairs.
The impact of preventing the patriarch from praying at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is tied to the centrality of the event, taking place during the most important holidays at the most significant churches.
It is unprecedented in hundreds of years for clergy to be prevented from reaching the Church of the Holy Sepulchre during Easter.
This was not the prevention of worshippers but of four clergy, which indicates a targeting of freedom of worship and the Church itself.
This prompted widespread condemnation, including from US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, who is strongly pro-Zionist, as he felt the targeting could not be denied and was intended to send a direct message to the Church. What message is the Israeli occupation seeking to send? The message is that Israel is in control, that there is no "status quo" or Hashemite custodianship, but one authority over the land and the occupation of holy sites and Jerusalem.
The Church's position is that we are subjected to attacks as Christians, but we insist on understanding them within a broader system: occupation, apartheid, and genocide in Gaza .
Despite feeling targeted, the issue cannot be confined to Christians alone. There is no Christian solution to the conflict; either the occupation ends, and all gain equal rights, or suffering and displacement continue, including for Christians.
There are global church positions on what is happening. The World Council of Churches, the Lutheran Church, and the Vatican have clear positions calling for an end to the occupation and the guarantee of equal rights.
However, preventing clergy from reaching the Church of the Holy Sepulchre has touched the core of Christian identity, which explains its wide resonance.
The key issues to focus on now are, first, that as Christians we are prevented from accessing Jerusalem, and even clergy require military permits to pray. It is historically unprecedented that other Christian clergy need Israeli military permits to pray in Jerusalem churches, despite this being the land where Christ was born more than 2,000 years ago.
The aim is to isolate Jerusalem from being a spiritual capital for Palestinian Christians. Even during Holy Saturday, residents of the Old City cannot pray at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, reflecting the isolation of Jerusalem.
Second, we must focus on the bigger picture: Israel has illegally annexed East Jerusalem, is isolating it, and continues its full Judaisation. The continuation of Israel as an occupying power in East Jerusalem by force means that European and global states have decided that international law has no value. High-level American and European diplomatic visits often follow attacks on churches. Has this prevented their recurrence? No, they have not prevented them, because what is happening to Christians is a microcosm of what Palestinians face from Israeli attacks. What happened in Taybeh, including an attempt to burn a fifth-century church and attacks on residents' property, is a clear example.
Clergy there succeeded in raising global awareness, particularly as the West is listening more to church voices. European diplomatic visits took place, including from the US ambassador to Israel. They issued statements and expressed sympathy, but no countries, except Spain and Ireland, are willing to cut ties with Israel or halt arms supplies.
Solidarity, therefore, remains superficial, as Israel violates international law without accountability. What is needed is accountability, not solidarity.
As for the US, it cannot be trusted, as it openly declares itself an ally of Israel. Hence, these visits are largely media-driven, aimed at improving the image of these states before their Christian constituencies.
On the ground, nothing has changed. Attacks have increased, with areas such as Birzeit, Aboud, Ein Arik, and villages around Ramallah witnessing settler assaults and the risk of displacement for many families.
The aim of these policies is displacement, despite the use of the term "voluntary migration" to mislead. Settlers are tools of extremist Israeli governments, which use and protect them.
Israel creates a coercive environment through checkpoints, attacks, home burnings, and uprooting trees to push Palestinians to leave. Entire Christian families in Birzeit, as well as in Aboud and Ein Arik and dozens of other villages, face displacement due to settler violence.
Diplomatic visits have not stopped the attacks; on the contrary, they have increased. They are aware of this but take no practical political or economic steps to hold Israel accountable, making them effectively complicit. Israel says the Christian presence is only a few thousand, making displacement easier. How important is the number? The Christian presence in Palestine is not measured by numbers but by significance. This is the land where Christ was born and from which Christianity spread, and we are its custodians.
Our presence is a responsibility for all Christians worldwide . It is a qualitative presence linked to institutions serving society and numerous civil organisations.
For example, in East Jerusalem, there are six major hospitals, three of them Christian. Christian identity plays a very important role in Jerusalem and in Palestinian liberation movements. The religious importance of the Christian presence outweighs the issue of numbers. Why does church discourse avoid "Palestinian Christians" and use "Christians in the Holy Land"? Is this ignoring national identity? Even the term "Christians in the Holy Land" does not exist in this form. For Christian Zionism, we do not exist, as it sees Jews as fulfilling its end-times vision.
Palestinian Christian identity is an obstacle to the Zionist project. The slogan "a land without a people" reflects a colonial view that denies our right to live or remain.
Despite some development in church discourse, colonial perspectives persist, especially in Christian Zionism or colonial theology. For them, serving the Zionist project is more important than the rights and fate of the indigenous population.
This is why they will not call us Palestinian Christians. But the Vatican also uses "Christians in the Holy Land"? The Vatican is different. It recognises Palestinian rights and identity, but its approach is more ecclesiastical.
The Jerusalem Church serves Jordan and Cyprus, so the term "Holy Land" includes the whole region , including churches in Jordan, to avoid excluding them.
For this reason, the Vatican uses this term instead of "Palestinian Christians". Is depoliticising identity intentional in Vatican discourse? It relates to the diplomatic dimension of church discourse. Even church leaders in Jerusalem avoid terms such as "Churches of Palestine" and "Israel" because their churches exist within this geography, placing them in a political dilemma.
Thus, "Christians of the Holy Land" is used to avoid sensitivities and to include Jordan as well. What pressure tools does Israel use against churches? Israel uses several tools to pressure churches in Jerusalem, including permits for clergy and Christian citizens, taxes, work permits, and aid.
There are concerns about threats to revoke permits for teachers in Christian private schools in Jerusalem, such as the Frères, Terra Santa, and Schmidt schools.
If occupied West Bank teachers are prevented from teaching in Jerusalem, these schools would be severely affected. These schools also depend on the aid they cannot operate without.
Churches in Jerusalem face significant pressure, and Israel uses these tools to exert leverage. Why is Western Christian solidarity insufficient? There is solidarity, but not at the required level. A segment of Christians supports Zionism, including those who support, remain silent, or are complicit.
At the same time, a large segment supports Palestinian Christians . Christian institutions and hospitals in Palestine rely primarily on Western support, especially from churches.
Official positions of most churches are moderate, calling for a two-state solution and rejecting occupation. The World Council of Churches has described Israel as an apartheid system.
Some US churches have made decisions to divest and boycott settlement products. Churches in South Africa and the Middle East show strong solidarity, while some Arab states do not adopt similar positions.
However, stronger positions are needed from American and European churches, moving from humanitarian support to political pressure on governments, with moral clarity in naming realities and demanding accountability alongside a firm stance against Christian Zionism. "Christian Zionism" is a contradictory term. Are its followers Christian at all, and how have they used Christianity to cover their aims? It is a contradictory term, but widely used. Christian Zionism is complex and has developed over centuries within Western European thought, supporting Jewish migration to Palestine .
This was driven either by the belief that the land was divinely granted or by expectations of Christ's return. It evolved into a political project serving Zionism for religious reasons after they had rejected him more than 2,000 years ago.
This evolved into a political project serving Zionism for Christian religious reasons, which is why it became known as "Christian Zionism".
Morally, it is a racist colonial idea linked to genocide and ethnic cleansing and cannot align with Christian teachings. Are millions of Christian Zionists not true Christians? We say today that Christian Zionism cannot be treated as an innocent Christian current. A moral and faith-based stance must be taken against it. Palestinian Christians and church leaders have taken a clear position, but Western churches have not yet reached a decisive stance.
We call on those who adopt this ideology to repent, as it contradicts the essence of Christ's teachings and represents theological and spiritual corruption. Is there a Western awakening on Christian Zionism and its use as a cover for colonialism and genocide, and is it lasting or temporary? There are significant shifts, especially among young people in the United States. Polls indicate a clear change after the war in Gaza , with those under 25 more supportive of Palestinian rights, while older generations remain influenced by Zionist thought.
This shift has led Israel to invest hundreds of millions to influence churches and draw them back toward Christian Zionism.
Studies attribute the decline of religious Zionism among young evangelicals to rising social justice values, the impact of the Gaza war, and Palestinian Christian activism.
This includes "Christ at the Checkpoint" conferences organised by Bethlehem Bible College, aimed at engaging evangelical Christians, particularly in the US, on the ethical dimension of Christ's teachings and offering a critical Christian understanding of Christian Zionism.
There is also the Bethlehem Institute for Justice and Peace, which conducts research and conferences, though it remains a small and underfunded effort.
Christian Zionism remains powerful in the United States as a funded political lobbying movement, with influence in the European Parliament, and it opposes Palestinian Christian voices.
On one occasion, I was invited to speak at the European Parliament, but the invitation was withdrawn under pressure from these groups, as they fear the Palestinian Christian voice. Do you think the next battle for Palestinian Christians and Muslims is with Christian Zionism? As Christians, we failed to understand the importance of the Christian narrative. We did not realise we were fighting for our right to the land, while Israel shaped Western narratives, influencing political positions against us.
Engaging with the Western world is essential, and churches are key, as Zionism relies on religious ideology, particularly Christian, which must be deconstructed.
This is an existential struggle for Palestinian Christians , as Christian Zionism puts our existence at risk and distorts the core of Christian faith.
We are fighting on multiple fronts: peace, existence, and the integrity of faith.
Has the Palestinian Christian narrative become a key tool in confronting this ideology? And is there anything in Christianity that supports the Zionist interpretation and the claim that these people are not Christians?
They are Christians, but they believe in ideas that do not align with Christian faith, and this understanding must be corrected internally. Have they been brainwashed? Many Christian Zionists, when they visit Palestine , say, "We did not know."
For decades, the Zionist movement dominated media channels, including left-leaning ones in the United States.
In recent years, new media platforms have emerged through the internet and social media, breaking this monopoly, including independent influencers contributing to dismantling Christian Zionist ideology in the US and the West. Do you rely on these influencers? Influencers such as Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens are now promoting ideas we have raised for years, reaching millions through podcasts. They have significantly contributed by deconstructing Christian Zionist ideology.
Carlson first addressed this issue in an interview with me in April 2024, which shocked Western audiences and was viewed tens of millions of times. It led to contact from clergy and activists.
When Carlson chose to step outside the framework he had operated in for years, the pro-Israel right, he chose his first interview with a Palestinian Christian cleric. This underscores the importance of this voice and highlights how Palestine remains one of the most divisive issues within Western Christianity.