​(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today (Sunday, 24 December 2017), posted Christmas greetings to Christian communities in Israel and around the world:
 
"It's a pleasure for me, on Christmas eve, to be here, standing in Jerusalem, the holy city.
 
I'm very proud to be the Prime Minister of Israel. A country that says Merry Christmas,  first to its Christian citizens, and to our Christian friends around the world!
 
I'm proud that Israel is a country in which Christians not only survive, but they thrive! Because we believe in this friendship among people. And we protect the rights of everyone to worship in the holy shrines behind me.
 
So now I have a proposition for all our Christian friends: I'm going to take, next year, on Christmas, for those of you who come to Israel - I'm going to take a guided tour. In fact, I'll be your guide on this guided tour!
 
And think of all the places you can walk - you can go to the 'Jesus Boat' in the Sea of Galilee, you can get to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher right behind me. Any places that you want to visit in the footsteps of Jesus, and the origin of our Judeo-Christian heritage.
 
So please come to Israel, next year in Jerusalem, and merry Christmas to all of you!"