Israel’s foreign ministry office created a new position in April with the hopes of brushing the dirt off its public image in the eyes of Christians. Now, George Deek, the special envoy to the Christian world, is becoming Israel’s poster child for international relations with the Christian West.

Deek spoke on Sunday with a private group of Christian tourists and journalists visiting Israel, where he argued that Christians around the world — and especially in the West — should advocate Israeli sovereignty in the region.