King Abdullah II
King Abdullah IIReuters

Canada’s Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) expressed “strong disappointment” regarding statements made by Jordan’s King Abdullah at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday.

AGPI denounced King Abdullah for claiming that Christianity was “under fire” in Israel.

“Abdullah shockingly said that Israel’s ‘undermining Jerusalem’s legal and historical status quo triggers global tensions and deepens religious divides,’” the advocacy organization said, slamming the Jordanian monarch for sowing “divide and conquer” between Jewish and Christians worldwide.

“There is absolutely no justification for Abdullah to have made this claim other than to sow division between the Christian and Jewish world,” AGPI CEO Avi Benlolo said. “It must be upsetting to him that the affinity between Christians and Jews is only growing by the day.”

While King Abdullah claimed he was “committing to defending the rights, precious heritage and historic identity of the Christian people of our region,” AGPI noted that “despite this sentiment, reports indicate Jordan’s Christian population has been declining.”

One Christian persecution watchlist says that in Jordan, “if their faith becomes known, Christian men from Muslim background can be denied security clearances and jobs, or face extortion through fines,” according to AGPI.

“Christianity is not under attack in Israel as Abdullah claimed and the rights of churches are not threatened. If anything, Christianity in Israel is thriving and hundreds of thousands of Christians are welcomed in Israel each year,” the advocacy organization said.

“Christian communities have been decimated in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Jordan while in Israel, the community is safe, secure and thriving” Benlolo added.