Huckabee’s threatening letter: We will warn Christians to reconsider visits, their goodwill is being ‘met with hostility’ by Israel

In the letter he sent this week to Interior Minister Moshe Arbel, US Ambassador Mike Huckabee lays out in detail new policies from the Visa Department toward Evangelical Christian organizations.

The letter, the existence of which emerged yesterday, has been obtained by The Times of Israel.

“As of the beginning of 2025, the Visa Department arbitrarily ceased honoring the recommendations of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and has initiated an independent investigation into each of the Evangelical organizations to ascertain whether or not they should be recognized as Religious Institutions and continue receiving visas,” writes Huckabee.

“This includes many historic organizations such as the Baptist Convention of Israel, Christian Missionary Alliance, Assemblies of God, etc., some of whom have been active here since before 1948. The vast majority of them have headquarters in the United States. They have all been required to fill out extensive questionnaires regarding their religious beliefs, their activities, their assets in Israel, etc. And to the best of my knowledge, none of them have received new A3 Clergy Visas since the beginning of the year, as they are all ‘under investigation.'”

Huckabee lists the Anglican School, IBEX from Masters University, University of the Holyland, and the Jerusalem University College as institutions that had received A3 Clergy visas for senior faculty since Israel’s early years, but have been told this year that they are no longer recognized as religious institutions for the purpose of obtaining visas.

“No specific explanation was given for this decision, and it has caused some major difficulties,” writes Huckabee.

“If they cannot receive A3 Clergy Visas, their only option is to apply for B1 Foreign Expert Visas – which is a visa category made for significant for-profit business enterprises. It has both a relatively high fee per visa each year – approx. USD $2,500- and a minimal salary requirement for each employee of twice the median salary in Israel – approx. NIS 22,000/month today – twice the standard salary of Israeli citizen teachers.”

He says that the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem is also having visas held up.

The ICEJ, which organizes the annual Jerusalem March, has changed countries’ stances on Israel, has been behind the moving of some embassies to Jerusalem, and has funded Jewish immigration and humanitarian projects within Israel.

“The Evangelical Christian community is perhaps the strongest and most faithful and fervent supporter of the Jewish people and the State of Israel. When antisemitism is growing around the world, the evangelical Christian community has remained steadfast and has become even more outspoken in support,” writes Huckabee. “It is also responsible for contributing millions of dollars to combat antisemitism and tangible support for Israeli causes through dozens of organizations such as International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, Samaritans Purse, Christians United For Israel, and numerous others.”

Huckabee also issues direct threats if the policy doesn’t change: “It would be very unfortunate that our Embassy would have to publicly announce throughout the United States that the State of Israel is no longer welcoming Christian organizations and their representatives and is instead engaging in harassment and negative treatment toward organizations with long-standing relationships and positive involvement toward Zionism and friendship to the Jewish people and the State of Israel.”

“We would further be obligated to warn Christians in America that their generous contributions to organizations to promote goodwill in Israel are being met with hostility and that tourists should reconsider travel until this situation is resolved with clarity,” he writes, adding that he would “have no other choice than to instruct our Consular Section to review options for reciprocal treatment of Israeli citizens seeking visas to the United States.”

“Surely this is NOT the relationship the State of Israel wishes to have with its best partner and friend on the planet.”