Christians disappearing from West Bank

The Palestinian Christian population has dipped to 1.5 percent of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, down from at least 15% a half century ago, according to some estimates.

No one city in the Holy Land is more indicative of the great exodus of Christians than Bethlehem, which fell under full Palestinian control last decade as part of the Oslo Accords.

The town of 30,000 is now less than 20% Christian, after decades when Christians were the majority. Elsewhere in the Palestinian territories, only about 3,000 Christians, mostly Greek Orthodox, live in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, out of a strongly conservative Muslim population of 1.4 million.

"In a society where Arab Christians have no voice and no protection it is no surprise that they are leaving," he said.

In his address, Weiner pointedly downplayed the effects that Israeli security measures, such as the security barrier being built between Israel and the West Bank, have had on the Christian Arabs living in the West Bank.

The barrier, which is especially conspicuous at the entrance to Bethlehem where it is a concrete wall, is an issue which many Palestinian Christian clerics have pointed to, along with the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as a central cause of Christian emigration.

Weiner argued there was a "180 degree difference" between the public statements coming out of the mainstream Christian leadership in the Holy Land - who "sing the PA's tune" and blame Israel for all the Christian Arabs' ills - and people's experience on the ground.

"The truth is beginning to come out," he said. "The question is what is being done with the truth."

His comments come just months after a prominent Christian activist, Rami Khader Ayyad, 32, was killed in Gaza.

from the Jerusalem post

Comments

[Isaac Habib]

Tuesday, December 04, 2007

Thank you for your information. Today truth is rare, and understood by very few among Humanity.

[joseph]

Isaac - I think it is a reality which is too often overlooked by Christians in the west. The last time I was in Bethlehem (about 7 months ago), many of the Christian merchants indicated that they believed the actual numbers are now well below 20%.

[Wet Coast Tom]

A grim lot for Arab Christians. I spoke with some on my 2005 trip. Too bad they have to leave as they seem to be the more industrious & clever. Many to pray for and financially support. See www.operationoutreach.ca under "ministrys" and you will find Mary Rewers with "The Sheepfold" a Christian ministry in Bethlehem reaching out to disabled Muslim & Christian kids & doing great works. Also a whole list of Messianic & Arab Evangelical congregations in the Holy Land. Good news - they are worshipping & working together !!! Keep them in your prayers.

While good things are happening on the ground over there our ACoC continues to play silly games, Rowan Williams is anti-Israel / anti-West (but then to be critical of Islam could cause a pain in the neck - we must rename or son's Curious George doll) & the Roman & Orthodox Churches are hoping their Jerusalem land holdings will go up in value after the Annapolis meeting. Oy Vay! a leadership crisis.

Keep us posted on the skating rink Joe - my wife attended St Tims in the 60's & we will visit on the next Edmonton trip - cheers

[joseph]

Tom - thanks for the commnent. The rink is now near perfection - and thanks for the info on Mary Rewers. A while ago i had a brief visit with a group in Nazareth who also specialize in ministry to kids with disabilities.

[Wet Coast Tom]

Kind of quiet thread here Joe - not much outrage but then again it goes against the grain of the CBC & CNN mantra. Any liberation theology or replacement theology answers to this dilema ?

One thing for sure Joe - we are praying for your most excellent upcoming Holy Land Tour 2008 and all the special people God is inviting to accompany you.
Invite you say ? Yes as it not everyone whom will get to share the wonders of the Holy Land.

[joseph]

Tom - I find a lot of people don't have an awareness of the situation of Christians throughout the middle east.