Foreign Christians Pray for Forgiveness for Insufficient Support of Israel
A Knesset-hosted Christian prayer event drew controversy over its tone of national repentance and political messaging.
JERUSALEM — The Knesset hosted an event described as a “forgiveness before God” gathering for visiting Christian participants, during which some attendees prayed for forgiveness over what they characterized as insufficient support for Israel by their home countries. The session was held alongside the 10th Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast, which brought together Israeli lawmakers, government officials, and Christian representatives from 38 countries.
During the event, several participants offered public prayers of repentance. Sarah Zhu of China asked, “God, forgive us for everything we have done by failing to support Israel,” and said she sought guidance in “how to love Israel and how to support Israel.” A couple from the United Kingdom, Clive and Jane Urquhart, prayed for forgiveness for “turning our backs on Israel” and not opposing antisemitism more forcefully. A participant from South Korea, speaking emotionally, also asked forgiveness for words spoken against Israel and its people.
The gathering drew significant reaction online after video excerpts circulated, with critics questioning the appropriateness of foreign civilians expressing collective repentance in the Israeli parliament on behalf of their nations. Some commentators described the framing of the event as politically and diplomatically unusual, while others raised broader concerns about the context in which such messaging was delivered. References were also made by critics to the ongoing war in Gaza, with Gaza’s Health Ministry reporting tens of thousands of deaths and injuries since October 2023.
Previously, the UOJ reported that 1,000 Christian Zionist pastors visited Israel on a trip funded by the Israeli Foreign Ministry.
