Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called for an immediate end to attacks on Christians in Nigeria and other parts of the world, declaring that religious persecution must not be tolerated under any circumstance.
Netanyahu made the call in a video message shared on his official X handle as part of his Christmas greetings to Christians across the globe.
"The persecution of Christians or members of any religion cannot and must not be tolerated, and Muslim militant displacement and attacks against Christians in Nigeria, that too must end, and it must end now," the Israeli leader said.
He also condemned what he described as widespread persecution of Christians in parts of the Middle East, citing countries such as Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Turkey.
Aligning with the position of his ally, United States President Donald Trump, Netanyahu said Israel would always stand with Christians worldwide, insisting that the Jewish state guarantees freedom of worship.
"Israel is the only country in the Middle East where Christians can practise their faith with full rights and in total freedom, where Christian pilgrims are embraced with open arms and deeply appreciated," he said.
According to him, Christians in Israel celebrate their traditions openly and without fear, noting that the Jerusalem municipality has officially distributed Christmas trees annually for over two decades.
By contrast, Netanyahu alleged that a Christmas tree was recently burned at the Holy Redeemer Church in the Palestinian town of Jenin, which he cited as evidence of intolerance elsewhere.
Netanyahu's comments mirror claims by the United States that Christians are being persecuted in Nigeria, a position that has generated international debate.
While condemning violence in Nigeria, bodies such as the European Union (EU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have described the crisis as a broader security challenge rather than targeted religious persecution.
Weeks ago, President Trump re-designated Nigeria as a "country of particular concern" over allegations of a Christian genocide and warned of possible military intervention if the Nigerian government failed to act, accusing it of complicity.
The Nigerian government has, however, rejected the allegations, insisting that it guarantees freedom of religion and that victims of violent attacks cut across religious and ethnic lines.