PM tells Evangelical leaders that Israel is working to protect Christians worldwide

Israel is joining an emerging alliance of countries “that support Christian communities around the world, beleaguered communities who deserve our help,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tells Evangelical Christian leaders in Palm Beach, Florida.

“In Africa, with intel, in the Middle East, with a lot of means that I won’t itemize each one,” he explains. “But this is what our agenda is, it’s a main part of our agenda, and it’s going to continue with greater force and greater might in this coming year.”

Netanyahu says regional rival Turkey is among the countries that persecute Christians: “We are conscious of the fact that Christians are being persecuted across the Middle East, in Syria, in Lebanon, in Nigeria, in Turkey and beyond.”

Netanyahu calls the fight for support among young conservatives in the US part of the “eighth front” in the war Israel is fighting.

“That’s the front for the hearts and minds of people, especially young people in the West, and for me, especially in the United States. And for me, especially on the Conservative wing of the United States,” he says.

“This is a theater that has to be engaged with great force.”

Later tonight, Netanyahu is expected to attend a New Year’s Eve party hosted by US President Donald Trump at the latter’s Mar-a-Lago resort.