The Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem have reaffirmed that the historic Apostolic Churches are the sole legitimate representatives of Christian communities in the Holy Land, warning against individuals they say are promoting divisive and harmful ideologies. In a joint statement issued on January 17, the church leaders stressed that Christian believers in the region have, for centuries, been entrusted to churches with established pastoral authority and continuity.

They cautioned in particular against the spread of ideologies such as Christian Zionism, arguing that these movements sow confusion among Christians and undermine church unity. According to the statement, some of these initiatives have received backing from political actors in Israel and abroad, raising concerns that political agendas are being advanced at the expense of the Christian presence in the Holy Land and the wider Middle East.

Quoting Romans 12:5, the church leaders said claims to authority outside the communion of the Church damage the unity of believers and interfere with the pastoral mission of the historic churches in the land where Jesus lived and was crucified. They also criticised official engagement with unauthorised individuals, calling it an intrusion into the internal life of the churches, and reiterated that only the recognised church leadership in Jerusalem speaks on matters of Christian religious, communal and pastoral life in the Holy Land.