Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sharply condemned what he described as the persecution and “genocide” of Christians in Nigeria, urging both an immediate end to attacks on religious communities and a broader rejection of violence against people of all faiths. The comments were made in a Christmas video message released on Wednesday, drawing fresh international attention to the ongoing security crisis in parts of Nigeria.
Delivering his address from Jerusalem, Netanyahu said that attacks on Christians, or adherents of any religion were “unacceptable” and “must not be tolerated.” He singled out militant violence in Nigeria, calling for it to end “without delay.” “The persecution of Christians or members of any religion cannot and must not be tolerated. And the displacement and attacks against Christians in Nigeria, that too must end. And it must end now,” he said in the video posted on his official social media channels.
Netanyahu used the Christmas message to project Israel as a model of religious freedom in the Middle East, contrasting it with what he said were worsening conditions for Christian communities across the broader region. He emphasised that Israel is “the only country in the Middle East where Christians can practise their faith with full rights and in total freedom.” According to him, Christians in Israel are “embraced with open arms,” and are able to “celebrate their traditions proudly and openly…without any fear.”
He also cited examples of demographic decline among Christian populations in neighbouring and regional countries, attributing these shifts to discrimination and oppression. “While Israel’s Christian population is growing, the Christian population in countless areas across the region has been dwindling due to systematic discrimination and oppression. This has happened in Iraq. It’s happened in Syria. It’s happened in Lebanon. It’s happened in Turkey. And it’s happening in the Palestinian Authority,” he said.
Netanyahu invoked Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, as a case in point, noting a dramatic reduction in its Christian population since control of the city shifted. “The birthplace of Jesus, Bethlehem, used to have an 80 per cent Christian population. That’s when we were there. When we left and gave it to the Palestinian Authority, it has since dwindled from 80 per cent to 20 per cent,” he stated.
Symbolic Differences and Perceived Threats
In further commentary, the Israeli leader drew a symbolic contrast between how Christian celebrations are treated in Jerusalem and events in parts of the Palestinian territories. He noted that Jerusalem’s municipal authorities officially distribute Christmas trees each year, a tradition maintained for over two decades while pointing out a recent incident in Jenin where a Christmas tree was burned at the Holy Redeemer Church. “That’s the difference,” Netanyahu said. “Israel stands up for Christians across the region, wherever they face widespread intimidation and persecution.”
Netanyahu’s remarks come amid intensifying global scrutiny of Nigeria’s security situation. In recent weeks, United States President Donald Trump criticised the Nigerian government for what he described as a failure to protect Christian communities, warning that the U.S. might suspend aid and even consider military action if violence continued.
The growing international focus on religious violence in Nigeria has generated a range of responses. Nigerian authorities have consistently maintained that the constitution protects freedom of religion and dismissed claims of government-backed persecution as inaccurate. Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar, for example, stated that it was “impossible” for state-sponsored religious persecution to occur under Nigeria’s legal framework.
Meanwhile, other international voices and organisations have added to the debate, with some religious and advocacy groups arguing that violence in Nigeria amounts to systematic targeting of Christian communities — a view that remains contentious and subject to differing interpretations across media and diplomatic circles.
Concluding his Christmas message, Netanyahu extended season’s greetings to Christians around the world, reinforcing Israel’s declared commitment to religious freedom. His address not only highlighted concerns over persecution but also aimed to position Israel as a protector of Christian heritage and practice in a tumultuous regional landscape.
