Palestinian Christians

by **Ipberg** » 04/ 15/ 02 8:48 pm

What Is It Like to Be a Palestinian Christian?

Palestinian Christians could disappear altogether in the Holy Land within a generation.

By Deborah Caldwell
Beliefnet.com
Source

Last week, when Israeli tanks ringed the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, Christians around the world were suddenly prompted to ask: What is the role of Palestinian Christians in this conflict?
Palestinian Christians comprise less than 10% of the population of the Holy Land, down from 35% a decade ago. Many experts believe Palestinian Christians could largely disappear in the Holy Land within a generation. They are leaving because of war, job opportunities elsewhere, and the growing population of fundamentalist Muslims.

Christians in the Palestinian territory are in an odd position. Israelis hold them at arm's length because they're Palestinian. Yet Muslims don't embrace them fully because they're Christian.

Palestinian Christians themselves are ambivalent about both groups. Palestinian Muslims have alienated them by Islamicizing the territory, building mosques next to churches, breeding fundamentalist Islam, and generally ignoring the desires of Christians. At the same time, Palestinian Christians are enraged at the Israelis, particularly in the last week, for their treatment of Palestinian Muslims.

On Tuesday, Israeli tanks ringed the church built on the spot where Christians believe Jesus was born, while troops manned surrounding lookouts. About 200 Palestinian fighters have taken over the church, along with around 30 Franciscan priests and a handful of civilians. Pope John Paul II has prayed for peace in the Vatican's St. Peter's Square and said how close he felt to the priests who are "living through difficult hours in the Church of the Nativity."

Over the years, groups such as the National Council of Churches of Christ have visited Christians in the Holy Land and expressed outrage at their plight. Last summer, 18 mainline Protestant and Eastern Orthodox church leaders sent a letter to Secretary of State Colin Powell, asking him to work harder for peace. They wrote: “We are extremely worried about our Palestinian Christian brothers and sisters. Facing daily threats from violence and economic deprivation and lacking hope for peace and a viable Palestinian state, many feel the pressure to emigrate. The demise of the living Christian community from the birthplace of the Christian religion would certainly be an irreparable tragedy for the Middle East and the Christian community internationally.” But at the time, few people were listening.

Watching it all unfold with growing dread are the Palestinian Christians themselves, including Imad Hanna, a Lutheran who lives in New Jersey. “It’s terrible that we can’t hold on to such a rich tradition, the tradition of Christianity in the Middle East and the Holy Land,” says Hanna, who grew up in Ramallah and moved to the United States 13 years ago to attend college.

Hanna's mother, brother and sister-in-law, his two small nieces, his cousin and aunt all still live in the West Bank--and today, he is deeply worried for their safety.

“It’s very sad to see Christians, especially those in Jerusalem, not able to reach the holy sites because of the harassment [by Israelis] that they get at the check points,” he says. "A lot of parishioners who live outside the city are saying—I’m not going to church.”

The Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Jerusalem, where Hanna was baptized, has seen its membership drop more than 50% in the last decade, he says.

Hanna says Christian Palestinians have historically been better-off economically than Muslims-—one explanation for the fact that Christians have not so far become suicide bombers.

As a youngster, Hanna says he wore a cross around his neck. When he was stopped by Israeli soldiers, he says, he was not harassed because he was a Christian. But at this point, he says, Christians and Muslims are unified in their rage at Israel.

Hanna is having a hard time squaring his Christian faith with world events.

“As Christians, we are always optimistic,” he says. “There must be a purpose for what’s going on. But it’s very hard to accept. We don’t hate the Jewish people—we just don’t agree with what the Israeli government is doing.”

This latest phase of the conflict could force Christian leaders to formulate a position about the ongoing war, in a way that delegations of visiting bishops never have before. It also seems suddenly clear that Christians must pay attention to this shrinking group of fellow believers. If they don't, Palestinian Christians will leave the Holy Land and take with them their living legacy. And they will leave behind precious traditions and sacred sites--which will never be the same without a local Christian community to tend them. Christians around the world look to their brothers and sisters in the Holy Land as a living link to Jesus and his followers. They are Christians who look like Jesus may have looked and who walk the same paths he walked.

More important, one of the most difficult tasks will be trying to keep Christians from splitting even further apart over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In general, Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox Christians, and liberal Protestants--despite the fact that they have close ties with Jews and Judaism--have been ambivalent in their support of Israel because of their ties to Palestinian Christians.

Conservative Protestant Christians, meanwhile, have been supportive of Israel--even though in the United States they have often been culturally at odds. (Witness the controversy over the tape of Billy Graham in the Nixon Oval Office last month.) Evangelical support for Israel springs from their political views. But perhaps more important, they support the Israelis because they believe Israel's existence is a necessary component in the unfolding of God's plan for the end-times and the Second Coming of Jesus.

by **LondonLady** » 04/ 15/ 02 9:10 pm

If Saudi Arabia, Iran, the Sudan, Nigeria, Pakistan and Egypt are any indication, there won't be any Christians left in the entire Muslim world, period. This will be by design of dictatorial fundamentalist regimes which seem to be sweeping the Muslim world, purging their realms of any other religion but that of the Dar al-Islam.

by **wildernessvoice** » 04/ 15/ 02 11:43 pm

If Christians in Canada are so persecuted that the Canadian military Chaplins are ordered not to name the name of Christ, what of the Christians in the middle east?

If our government and our political parties have the gonads to state publiclly "No Christians wanted!" what of these troubled countries?

Right from the Book of Revelation, right from the Book of Revelation.

by **Ipberg** » 04/ 16/ 02 12:01 am

Palestinian Christians are oppressed on two fronts: by the Israeli government and Palestinian Muslims. They aren't contributing people to the suicide bombing campaign so they can't be fully trusted by Hamas and other Palestinian Muslim militants. But they live in those dirty, densely populated camps and held up at Israeli border patrols just like any Palestinian Muslim.

by **hiti** » 04/ 16/ 02 3:37 am

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Christians around the world were suddenly prompted to ask: What is the role of Palestinian Christians in this conflict?<hr /></blockquote>In this case, they are fodder for the Palestinian terrorist as hostages.

Now if you are asking what is the role of Christians in the CA, it is to do as they are told and shut up.

by **Ipberg** » 04/ 16/ 02 3:57 am

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by hiti: Christians around the world were suddenly prompted to ask: What is the role of Palestinian Christians in this conflict?

In this case, they are fodder for the Palestinian terrorist as hostages.<hr /></blockquote>And don't forget about the IDF accidentally shooting them because they look no different than Palestinian Muslims.

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Now if you are asking what is the role of Christians in the CA, it is to do as they are told and shut up.<hr /></blockquote>If that were true Stockwell Day and many other members would be leaving the Canadian Alliance in droves right now.

by **hiti** » 04/ 16/ 02 5:25 am

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Ian Berg:
[QUOTE]And don't forget about the IDF accidentally shooting them because they look no different than Palestinian Muslims.<hr /></blockquote>Post your proof!!!

And also the proof that no members have left the CA!

by **Barry Stagg** » 04/ 16/ 02 1:30 pm

Comments from both Christians and humanists about the ' Holy Land' being desecrated by Israeli military action make me cringe and think about how there is little practical difference between a pogrom and a Crusade. Inciting lowbrow resentment in North America against Israeli occupation of Christian holy sites is an active, current tactic of the anti-Israel cabal. Getting a Jerry Springer fan to surf over to the the news and condemn Israel is a success for this group.

by **Ipberg** » 04/ 16/ 02 3:41 pm

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by hiti:
Post your proof!!!<hr /></blockquote>http://www.orthodox.net/news/2001-10-20-bethlehem.html

Pray for Bethlehem Christians
A request from Sister Maria
Sat, 20 Oct 2001
Dear Friends,

Please keep the people of the Holy Land, particularly those in Bethlehem and Beit Jala in your prayers.

As the world's eyes are turned to the events in Afghanistan it appears that the Israeli government is taking advantage of the situation to carry out the devastation and the occupation of Palestinian-controlled towns.

The New York Times reported today that "Israel's cabinet decided after the killing (of Tourism Minister Zeevi) ``to act in the Authority's territories in every place where terror acts are carried out or are planned,'' Israeli Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer said in a statement."

Would someone please ask the Israeli Defense Minister if the Syrian Orthodox Church of the Virgin Mary located just east of the Church of the Nativity off Manger Square constitutes a "place where terrorist acts are carried out or planned"?

This evening the priest, Fr. Yacoub Issak and members of Bethlehem's Syrian Orthodox Church are huddled in the church basement in fear and isolation (electricity is out, phone poles down). They raced to the church after it's doors were hit by an Israeli missile earlier this evening.(The church is located up a narrow lane in an old section of Bethlehem, heavily populated.)

Damage from Israeli weaponry has also been reported at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Virgin Mary in Beit Jala and a tank shell (the Palestinians have no tanks) hit and severely damaged a wall circling the Orthodox cemetery in Beit Jala.

Numerous homes, buildings and property have been destroyed or occupied by Israeli troops in these last 24 hours as they rolled tanks into the streets and lanes of Beit Jala and Bethlehem. Israeli troops have occupied the municipality buildings and central police station of Beit Jala and are shooting from the rooftops at any Palestinians who dare to enter the street.

A number of young (unarmed) Palestinian Christians have been killed or wounded including a 23 year old mother of two from Beit Jala and a nineteen year old who was hit by a tank shell outside his home just south of the Church of the Nativity.

Approximately two hours ago I received news that Israeli tanks had paraded down the main streets of Bethlehem and Beit Jala, and met at the crossroads of these towns. Some of the tanks have turned past Bethlehem University and are less than a kilometer from the Church of the Nativity. Christian men (unarmed) are trying to congregate in front of the Church to prevent Israeli forces from entering and occupying the church.

I am aware that Israeli forces are conducting similar operations in other Palestinian towns such as Ramallah, Tulkarm and Qalquilya. I can only write about events which I can verify after speaking to friends who are at this moment in Beit Jala and Bethlehem and are suffering greatly from these acts of terror and wanton destruction.

Please keep the people of the Holy Land in your prayers and if it is in your power ask the US government to do all they can to force the Israeli Army to put an end to these illegal and violent incursions and attacks on a virtually defenseless civilian population.

In Christ, sr Maria

<blockquote>quote:<hr />And also the proof that no members have left the CA!<hr /></blockquote>I didn't say no members have left the CA. I said Stockwell Day and many others would be leaving if it were true that Christians in the CA were told to shut up.

by **Barry Stagg** » 04/ 16/ 02 3:48 pm

What does a letter written in October 2001 have to do with 'proof' of anything other than its own publication?

by **Ipberg** » 04/ 16/ 02 4:10 pm

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Barry Stagg:
What does a letter written in October 2001 have to do with 'proof' of anything other than its own publication?<hr /></blockquote>So you're saying a nun was lying? And below I suppose you're going to say a man of the cloth is full of crap. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Roll Eyes]" src="rolleyes.gif" />

Catholic Father Denounces ‘Indescribable Barbarity’ of Israeli Army

Monday, April 08 2002 @ 07:36 PM GMT

By PalestineChronicle.com Reporter

http://palestinechronicle.com/article.php?story=20020408193644218

VATICAN: Father David Jaeger, spokesman for Catholic sites in the Holy Land, lashed out at the Israeli siege of the Church of Nativity. He called the Israeli invasion of Palestinian lands ‘an act of indescribable barbarity’, as well as ‘a violation of every law of humanity and civilization’.

He alleged, that Israel through its actions had broken the covenant with the Holy See, and that the consequences would be "long-term and incalculable".

In Israel’s siege of the Church of Nativity, which has been going on since March 29th, an estimated 260 unarmed people have been kept under military siege, with those coming within eyesight of the Israeli Army being shot at, and sometimes killed.

For example, a few days ago the bell ringer was killed, and today a Palestinian was shot to death while trying to extinguish a fire at the neighbouring St. Katherine’s church, resulting from Israeli shelling.

The idea is being spread widely by the Israeli media apparatus, that there are ‘terrorists’ inside the church, who are holding the rest of the people hostage. However, many first-hand testimonies from people inside the church, confirm that it is only the Israeli army holding the Palestinians hostage, in one of the holiest places of Christianity.

The people inside the church, according to the clergy, are people seeking refuge from Israeli aggression.

The Vatican has condemned the siege of the Church of the Nativity, and stressed the "absolute priority" of respecting holy sites.

by **Barry Stagg** » 04/ 16/ 02 5:27 pm

The Vatican and Mussolini made a pair in 1939-43 and now the Vatican and Arafat-a sequel?

by **Greg McNeely** » 04/ 16/ 02 7:12 pm

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Barry Stagg:
The Vatican and Mussolini made a pair in 1939-43 and now the Vatican and Arafat-a sequel?<hr /></blockquote>Are you saying that Mussolini saved hundreds of thousands of Jews in WWII, like the Vatican did? Or are you just making a stupid and unsupportable slur against the Catholic Church?

by **Barry Stagg** » 04/ 16/ 02 9:08 pm

The Vatican has plenty to answer for in relation to its WW II relationship to European fascism. Its purported neutrality did not absolve it of sin by omission. A variant of the 'good German' argument is not good enough. Do a little research.

by **wildernessvoice** » 04/ 16/ 02 9:35 pm

Arab Christians have always had a tough row to hoe.

A large village of Christians came out to meet the Crusaders (the Second Crusade, I believe). Due to a language barrier the Crusaders killed every man, woman and child.

Where lies the blame? Probably on all of us. Every now and again an event so evil takes place that only collective blame can be laid.

Evil tends to become institutionalized in these exceptional events.

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