New Year New Front: Israeli PM Netanyahu Announces ‘New Front’ for Protection of Christians in Nigeria
By: Olufemi Orunsola
In a move best seen as starting the new year with the creation of new fronts, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that Israel will open what he described as a “new front” focused on protecting Christian communities in parts of Africa and the Middle East, including Nigeria.
OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA OTN News reports as gathered that Netanyahu made the announcement in a public speech delivered on Wednesday and published on the official YouTube channel of the Israeli Prime Minister.
Speaking to an audience identified as Christian Zionists, Netanyahu said Israel will in the new year, expand its engagement beyond military confrontations to address what he described as growing global threats to Judeo-Christian values.
He stated that Israel had recently fought what he called a “seven-front war” and had emerged largely victorious, but said an additional challenge had now arisen.
According to him, the new front is centred on influencing public opinion, particularly among young people, which he described as a battle for “hearts and minds.”
In his words, “I see the battle against us and the battle against our Judeo-Christian tradition basically being waged around the globe,” he said.
Netanyahu identified what he called “radical Shiite Islam and radical Sunni Islam” as the main forces waging that battle, pointing to Iran and the Muslim Brotherhood as leading what he described as opposing axes.
Netanyahu said the challenge was not limited to Israel alone but affected its allies, including the United States, and what he described as Western civilization.
Netanyahu said Israel was aware that Christian communities were facing persecution in several countries, including Syria, Lebanon, Nigeria and Turkey.
He claimed that Israel was unique in protecting Christian communities and ensuring their growth and safety.
Netanyahu further announced that Israel was joining efforts to establish what he described as a coalition of countries, similar to a United Nations framework, aimed at supporting Christian communities worldwide, particularly those he maintained are been persecuted and facing existential threats.
OTN News observes that the new front announcement by Netanyahu is coming shortly after Israel's ally, the United States of America, launched successful airstrikes against terrorists believed to be responsible for what the US President, Donald Trump labelled Christian genocide in Nigeria.
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