The Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs in Palestine strongly condemned the recent remarks made by the United States Ambassador to the occupying state, Mike Huckabee, in which he claimed that Israel possesses a “Biblical right” to control the entire region “from the Nile to the Euphrates.”
The Committee affirms that such assertions rely on dangerous religious interpretations used to justify colonial and expansionist political agendas.
The Committee stated that this rhetoric not only contradicts the principles of international law and the Charter of the United Nations but also stands in stark opposition to the core of the Christian message and the teachings of the Holy Bible.
“Scripture cannot be transformed into a political deed of ownership, nor can it be invoked to legitimize occupation or annexation,” the Committee said, “Sacred texts must be understood within their historical and theological context and cannot be manipulated to justify the dispossession of peoples or the denial of their national rights.”
The Committee affirms that invoking a so‑called “Biblical right” constitutes an abuse of religion and a distortion of its spiritual and moral purpose.
“It reflects the influence of politicized theological currents associated with Christian Zionism, which seek to instrumentalize religious belief in service of political agendas at the expense of justice and human dignity,” the Committee stated, “The image of God revealed by Jesus Christ is that of a God of love, justice, and peace—not a deity of war, domination, or exclusion.”
The Committee warned that such discourse contributes to transforming a political conflict into a religious confrontation, posing a direct threat to civil peace and regional and international stability. It fuels religious extremism and undermines prospects for a just and lasting peace.
Furthermore, the Committee stressed that using religious rhetoric to justify territorial control or deny the rights of the Palestinian people directly threatens the historic Palestinian Christian presence and undermines the religious and cultural diversity that has characterized the land of Christ for centuries.
It also provides ideological cover for policies of occupation, annexation, and displacement affecting both Muslims and Christians.
The Committee reiterates that the future of Palestine is determined by International Law and United Nations resolutions—not by selective religious interpretations.
The international community has repeatedly affirmed that any attempt to annex occupied Palestinian territory constitutes a grave violation of international law and relevant Security Council resolutions.
The Committee further emphasized that justifying occupation or settlement expansion through religious discourse represents a profound moral and theological deviation and contradicts global efforts to achieve a comprehensive and just peace based on ending the occupation and respecting the rights and dignity of all peoples.
In this context, the Committee called on the U.S. administration to clearly clarify its position regarding these statements, in a manner consistent with international law and with the ethical responsibilities of political and religious leaders to refrain from weaponizing religion in political conflicts.
The Committee also renewed its call to churches and Christians around the world to listen to the voices of Palestinian Christians—the indigenous community of this land and living witnesses to its history and faith—and to reject any theology that uses religion to justify injustice or entrench occupation.
Justice is not built on politicized religious claims, but on truth, law, and human dignity. These are the only foundations capable of leading to a genuine and lasting peace in the land of peace.
