Daoud Kuttab – Milhilard.org

The U.S. Ambassador to Jordan, James Holtsnider, visited the Jordanian Evangelical Churches Council on Monday, December 22, 2025. The holiday visit was aimed at offering Christmas greetings to the council and the evangelical churches under its umbrella.

At the council’s headquarters in the Khalda district, Ambassador Holtsnider was received by retired Brigadier General Emad Maay’ah, President of the Jordanian Evangelical Churches Council, alongside the heads and representatives of the five evangelical denominations and members of the administrative board. The meeting took place in a cordial, introductory atmosphere, according to the council’s Facebook page.

During the meeting, Ambassador Holtsnider expressed his appreciation for the Jordanian leadership and people, praising Jordan’s regional standing and role. He also showed interest in the country’s tourism sector, emphasizing the importance of encouraging Jordanian expatriates to return and contribute to the national economy, the council reported.

For his part, Brig. Gen. Maay’ah provided an overview of the council’s role and the work of evangelical churches and their institutions in Jordan, including services in education, healthcare, refugee support, prison ministry, and care for the elderly and orphans.

According to sources who attended the meeting, the visit, which lasted less than an hour, focused on exchanging greetings and introductions, without discussing any specific political or other issues. The U.S. Embassy has issued no official statement regarding the visit as of the time of this report.

“Milhilard.org learned from one participant that the ambassador introduced himself broadly, expressing his affection for Jordan and its people and mentioning that he is a supporter of the national football team, Al-Nashama. The source confirmed that the visit was purely for introductory purposes and did not touch on political matters or issues concerning the evangelical council directly.

It is noteworthy that Ambassador Holtsnider and his family belong to a Protestant Christian background, specifically the Methodist denomination, known for its public support of the principle of a “just peace” in Israel/Palestine and for advocating the Palestinians’ right to self-determination. The denomination opposes occupation, settlements, and violence, calls for ceasefires, justice, and a two-state solution, and has recently withdrawn investments from companies supporting the occupation, reaffirming its commitment to human rights, international law, and listening to Palestinian Christian voices.

The Jordanian Evangelical Churches Council was founded in 2006 and includes five denominations: the Jordanian Baptist Church, the Church of God-Jordan, the Free Evangelical Church, the Nazarene Evangelical Church, and the Christian & Missionary Alliance Church. The council serves local communities through a variety of programs, grounded in Christian faith and public service, including in education, relief, health, prison visitations, senior citizens, and orphans.