Rev. Hayley Ace has been threatened by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Hamas agents in London. She has been harassed on the street for wearing a Jewish star necklace—though she is not Jewish—and attacked on social media for standing up for Israel.
Despite these threats, Ace, a mother of six living in London, arrived in Israel last week to stand in solidarity with the Jewish people.
“I think my faith is a huge factor,” Ace told ILTV News. “I trust God with my life and safety, and I feel like I am doing God’s work.” While she acknowledged taking necessary precautions, she said her faith gives her the strength to continue, knowing that what she is doing is “really important.”
“Fear should never be a reason to stop us from doing what is right,” Ace continued. “Remember, there are almost 100 hostages held underground in the hands of terrorists. If we cannot be bold for them, we fail them… We have to be brave.”
REV. HAYLEY ACE
(ILTV)
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Ace is one of London’s most well-known Christian activists for Israel. She is the founder of Christian Action Against Antisemitism and was named among the 50 Christian Allies for Israel last year. Ace arrived in Israel on Thursday to create content aimed at fighting the propaganda war and inspiring her network of Christians—what she calls the “silent majority.”
She will remain in Israel until the 20th. This is her second trip; her first visit was part of an influencers’ trip organized by the World Zionist Organization last year. However, that trip was just five days long and focused primarily on touring the destruction in Israel’s south so participants could bear witness.
This time, her itinerary is packed. It includes visits to war-affected sites, meetings with Israeli political and military leaders, encouraging soldiers on army bases, and exploring the Old City and other Christian sites significant to her faith.
On Thursday, Ace spent the day with 9-year-old Ben Carasso, the “Spokeskid of Israel.” Following the events of October 7, Ben felt compelled to help his country by sharing Israel’s story with the world through the eyes of a child.
Over the past 16 months, Ben has appeared on various media channels, speaking fluent English to explain what being a kid in Israel is like. He shares experiences such as what goes through a child’s mind during a rocket attack and how families adapt their daily routines during wartime. Ben also has friends who have lost loved ones in border communities, relatives who were kidnapped, and family members serving in the army reserves.
Ace discovered Ben’s videos and invited him to London last year. Together, they hung posters of the hostages across the city alongside a Muslim pro-Israel influencer and created content to raise awareness. Ben described Ace as “amazing” in his interview with ILTV News.
“To see people like Hayley come to Israel and help us—there are no words to explain such things,” Ben said.
He acknowledged that it has become increasingly challenging for supporters to stand up for Israel due to the loud anti-Zionist rhetoric. However, people like Ace make a meaningful difference. Ben added that it was inspiring to see Israel through Ace’s perspective. He explained that many people label Israel as an apartheid or colonial state, but walking through the Old City with Ace, she witnessed Israel’s diversity with her own eyes.
Ace explained that her support for Israel is “multi-layered.” First, she has a strong sense of justice and cannot stand bullying and slander, which she believes the world is directing toward Israel. Second, she is originally from New Zealand and a member of the Maori Christian sect. Therefore, she understands what it means to be an indigenous people.
“The Jewish people are the indigenous people of Israel, and I want to stand with them,” she said.
Finally, she pointed to her religious convictions, noting that God gave the Jewish people an everlasting covenant to live in Israel. As a devout Christian, she said she believes in the Bible and God, emphasizing that “everlasting means everlasting.”
Ace believes that Israel is fighting a war for humanity. “If Israel fails, the West will fail,” Ace told ILTV News. “Israel is fighting an evil that wants to target everyone who does not agree with their ideology of radical Islam.”
She added, “Anyone who loves freedom, who stands for feminism, who stands with the LGBTQI+ community, who stands for goodness and decency should be standing with Israel.”
Ace also highlighted Israel’s unique position as the safest place for Christians in the Middle East. According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, there are 180,300 Christian citizens in Israel, comprising about 1.8% of the population. Over the past year, the Christian community has grown by 0.6%.
In contrast, a recent report from the Jerusalem Center for Strategic and Foreign Affairs revealed a sharp decline in the Christian population in Palestinian Authority-controlled areas, attributing the decrease to violence, weak law enforcement, and religious coercion.
In 1922, Christians made up 11% of the population in these regions. Today, they account for less than 1%. In Gaza, the Christian population has dropped from 5,000 before Hamas seized power in 2007 to just 1,000 as of October 2023.
Bethlehem reflects these troubling trends. In 1950, Christians made up 86% of the population in Bethlehem and its surrounding villages. Today, that number has dwindled to approximately 10%.
“I feel I have been positioned to be a voice of truth to fight against the lies,” Ace said. “I came here to create content to counter all of those slanderous lies, like occupation, apartheid, genocide.”
Ace’s visit is also about solidarity.
“I want the people of Israel to know that there are those of us in the world who see exactly what is going on and truly love you and stand with you,” Ace added. “We want to stand in front of you and say, ‘If they come for the Jews, they have to go through us first.’”