In 2004, during the difficult days of the Second Intifada, the Israeli government witnessed a remarkable outpouring of Christian solidarity with Israel. Recognizing the strength and potential of this support, Members of the Knesset established the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus to build bridges with faith-based legislators and Christian communities around the world. Their vision was to create meaningful relationships, strengthen lines of communication, and mobilize political and moral support for the Jewish state. This new approach, transforming biblical solidarity into concrete political engagement, became known as faith-based diplomacy.

Two years later, inspired by this initiative, the bipartisan Congressional Israel Allies Caucus was founded in the U.S. House of Representatives. Its success proved the effectiveness of faith-based diplomacy in shaping real political outcomes. As a result, the Israel Allies Foundation expanded globally, opening regional offices in Latin America, Africa, and Europe, each led by directors dedicated to advancing faith-based diplomacy on their continents. Today, the Foundation is active in 63 parliaments worldwide, making faith-based diplomacy a powerful and sustainable force for strengthening Israel’s international alliances.

Faith-based diplomacy is not just a political tool. It is a movement rooted in shared values, moral clarity, and biblical principles. By connecting policymakers with faith communities, it builds trust, fosters long-term partnerships, and turns faith into action on behalf of Israel’s security and legitimacy.

In 2022, IAF Europe opened a new office in the Netherlands under the leadership of Executive Director Leo van Doesburg. At that time the network was growing but lacked a full-time director to dedicate time and energy to advancing faith-based diplomacy and expanding support for Israel. With renewed leadership, IAF Europe entered a new phase of growth: dormant caucuses were reactivated, new ones were launched, and the network steadily gained strength.

Then everything changed. On October 7, 2023, Hamas carried out a massive terrorist attack on Israel, murdering 1,200 innocent people and kidnapping more than 250 hostages. This brutal assault - the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust - unleashed not only a large-scale war in Gaza and six other fronts in the region, but also an intense political, diplomatic, and media offensive against the only democracy in the Middle East.

It quickly became clear that a network alone was not enough to counter the tidal wave of disinformation and hostile narratives about Israel. Our “Diplomatic Iron Dome” needed ammunition: facts, clarity, and rapid responses. Legislators in our network urgently needed reliable, objective information to counter political attacks and false claims. In response, and with the appointment of a new Policy Director, IAF Europe began producing concise, fact-based briefing papers for policymakers.

This led to the establishment of the Political Information Centre (PIC) - a trusted hub where legislators, journalists, and NGOs can access accurate, relevant, and immediate information on key issues related to Israel.

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