Christian Zionists Challenge Anti-Israel Narratives in the Biblical Heartland

The Israel Guys, a Christian Zionist organization formerly known as HaYovel, opened a large visitor center last month in Har Bracha, a West Bank community in Samaria. The group says it has brought more than 5,000 volunteers from 35 countries over nearly 20 years to take part in projects aimed at developing the Land of Israel.

Joshua Waller, CEO of The Israel Guys, said the new center is intended to give international visitors a firsthand look at life in what the organization calls the biblical heartland. He said the goal is to counter media coverage that, in his view, often depicts Judea and Samaria primarily through the lens of conflict.

“We live here, we see the people who live here, and then we tell everyone what is actually happening. Our role is to expand that and bring thousands of internationals to come and see for themselves,” he told News Outlet.

Waller said the visitor center is also meant to address concerns among supporters of Israel who are uncertain how to respond to allegations often described under the phrase “settler violence.” “You may love the Jewish people but be unsure how to deal with the propaganda, specifically the term ‘settler violence.’ Jews in Judea and Samaria have been branded as a radical group that would probably be dangerous to encounter. Well, come to the visitor center, and you will see the exact opposite,” he said.

“You will see that it is a fake narrative built by the international community … it is a straight-up war against the Jewish [people],” he added.

The Israel Guys runs several volunteer programs in Israel, including the Heartland Experience, a 10-day itinerary that blends touring, volunteer service and meetings with local residents. Its Grape Harvest trip is a two-week program held in late summer and early fall, when participants assist farmers during the harvest season. The group also offers a Men’s Pruning trip, a two-week early spring program focused on vineyard pruning.

Additional opportunities include Zion Ops, a four-week program designed for young adults ages 18 to 30, as well as Day Visits, which provide two-hour visits to Har Bracha.

In 2004, Tommy Waller, Joshua Waller’s father, traveled to Israel for the first time, where he met Nir Lavi, founder of Har Bracha Winery. Lavi shared his plan to fulfill the vision of the Prophet Jeremiah: “You shall again plant vineyards on the mountains of Samaria; the planters shall plant and eat them as ordinary food” (Jeremiah 31:5).

Waller Sr. asked how he could help.

In 2007, after moving with his wife, Sherri, and their 11 children from Tennessee to Har Bracha, Waller Sr. established HaYovel, a U.S. nonprofit that provides Christian volunteers with an opportunity to work the land alongside Israeli farmers.

In 2013, the organization sought to counter anti-Israel rhetoric by launching The Joshua & Caleb Report TV show, its first dedicated pro-Israel media project, which in 2018 transitioned into a weekly podcast. Five years ago, the organization rebranded as The Israel Guys and stepped up its advocacy efforts.

The Israel Guys currently counts more than 20 team members and, since its founding, has helped develop some 120 farms. Volunteers who come to Judea and Samaria work alongside local farmers, planting trees, erecting fences, harvesting crops and assisting with infrastructure projects.

In the aftermath of the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, massacre of 1,200 Israelis, The Israel Guys launched Operation Ittai and raised $3.85 million to provide tactical supplies to communities in the area and strengthen their defenses against possible terrorist attacks.

The group went viral at the time after bringing American cowboys to Israel to help farmers whose workers had been called up as reservists.

Addressing media coverage of recent incidents involving Christians in Israel, Waller said the narrative that they are no longer welcome in the country is false.

“People put a lot of money into trying to make it seem as though Christians would somehow be better off living in Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Jordan or other Arab countries surrounding Israel. Factually, that is completely wrong,” he told News Outlet.

“I know Christians living in those places, and I even know Christians living in areas under the control of the Palestinian Authority, and they suffer immensely. The fact is that Israel is the safest place for Christians in the entire Middle East. It is the only place where the Christian population is growing,” he added.

Volunteers, Waller explained, have come from a wide range of Christian denominations, including Catholics, Protestants, Evangelicals, Mormons, Amish and Mennonites.

He emphasized that Israel is a partner for peace and urged nations to align themselves with biblical values, which he said could pave the way for “some incredible days ahead.”

If antisemitism leads to efforts to destroy Israel, he added, “that’s not an option,” saying Israel would have to fight that war while The Israel Guys would continue to “help on the information side.”

“The Bible says that this land that was desolate will become like the Garden of Eden. We are literally seeing it happen. It’s beautiful to see volunteers participate in the fulfillment of that prophecy and witness the ancient words of the Bible come back to life,” Waller said.