Changes

While Arab-Palestinians are overwhelmingly Muslim and grandchildren of Arab immigrants, there are also between 3 <small>(in Gaza)</small> - 9 <small>(in West Bank)</small> percent who are Christians. An estimated 50,000 Christian Palestinians live in the West Bank and Jerusalem, according to the U.S. State Department’s international religious freedom report for 2022. Approximately 1,300 Christians lived in Gaza. Many Palestinian Christians live in diaspora communities.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/world/jerusalem-palestinian-christians-observe-scaled-down-good-friday-rituals|title=In Jerusalem, Palestinian Christians observe scaled-down Good Friday rituals|date=March 29, 2024|publisher=Fox News}}</ref> [[Pope Francis]] affirmed in 2024 that he calls the "church in Gaza every day".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20240523-pope-francis-i-call-the-church-in-gaza-every-day/|title=Pope Francis: ‘I call the church in Gaza every day’|date=May 23, 2024|publisher=Middle East Monitor}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/world/pope-francis-contacts-only-catholic-church-gaza-carnage-continues|title=Pope Francis contacts only Catholic Church in Gaza as carnage continues|date=October 10, 2023|publisher=Fox News}}</ref>

While Arab-Palestinians are overwhelmingly Muslim and grandchildren of Arab immigrants, there are also between 3 <small>(in Gaza)</small> - 9 <small>(in West Bank)</small> percent who are Christians. An estimated 50,000 Christian Palestinians live in the West Bank and Jerusalem, according to the U.S. State Department’s international religious freedom report for 2022. Approximately 1,300 Christians lived in Gaza. Many Palestinian Christians live in diaspora communities.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/world/jerusalem-palestinian-christians-observe-scaled-down-good-friday-rituals|title=In Jerusalem, Palestinian Christians observe scaled-down Good Friday rituals|date=March 29, 2024|publisher=Fox News}}</ref> [[Pope Francis]] affirmed in 2024 that he calls the "church in Gaza every day".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20240523-pope-francis-i-call-the-church-in-gaza-every-day/|title=Pope Francis: ‘I call the church in Gaza every day’|date=May 23, 2024|publisher=Middle East Monitor}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/world/pope-francis-contacts-only-catholic-church-gaza-carnage-continues|title=Pope Francis contacts only Catholic Church in Gaza as carnage continues|date=October 10, 2023|publisher=Fox News}}</ref>

500,000 Palestinians are Christians around the world, they form and estimated 6-7% of the global Palestinian population. 48% are Greek Orthodox, 38% Catholic and 4% are Evangelicals and Protestants. "The Palestinian Christian presence in Jerusalem is under threat due to institutionalised discrimination, attacks by radical Israeli groups, and systematic attempts by settler organisations to take over church property in the Old City". According to International Christian Concern: "In Israel, both Jewish (Messianic) and Arab Christians experience pressures for their faith from radical Jewish groups and can sometimes be treated as second-class citizens in the Jewish state".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.persecution.org/2023/10/12/hamas-and-israel-war-leaves-christians-in-the-crossfire/|title=Hamas and Israel War Leaves Christians in the Crossfire|date=10 December, 2023|publisher=Persecution.org}}</ref>

500,000 Palestinians are Christians around the world, they form and estimated 6-7% of the global Palestinian population. 48% are Greek Orthodox, 38% Catholic and 4% are Evangelicals and Protestants. "The Palestinian Christian presence in Jerusalem is under threat due to institutionalised discrimination, attacks by radical Israeli groups, and systematic attempts by settler organisations to take over church property in the Old City". According to International Christian Concern: "In Israel, both Jewish (Messianic) and Arab Christians experience pressures for their faith from radical Jewish groups and can sometimes be treated as second-class citizens in the Jewish state".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.persecution.org/2023/10/12/hamas-and-israel-war-leaves-christians-in-the-crossfire/|title=Hamas and Israel War Leaves Christians in the Crossfire|date=10 December, 2023|publisher=Persecution.org}}</ref> On the other hand, Arabs, in general, are often treated as first class citizens. In courts, employments, etc.

The Times of Israel explains on the topic: "The picture of safe coexistence painted by Israeli officials is starkly at odds with the experiences Jerusalem’s Christian leaders themselves describe. While they readily acknowledge that there is no organized or governmental effort against them, Christian clergy in the Old City tell of a deteriorating atmosphere of harassment, apathy from authorities, and a growing fear that incidents of spitting and vandalism could turn into something far darker".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/as-attacks-on-christians-become-more-frequent-a-crisis-looms-for-israel/|title=As attacks on Christians become more frequent, a crisis looms for Israel|date=March 30, 2023|publisher=The Times of Israel}}</ref>

The Times of Israel explains on the topic: "The picture of safe coexistence painted by Israeli officials is starkly at odds with the experiences Jerusalem’s Christian leaders themselves describe. While they readily acknowledge that there is no organized or governmental effort against them, Christian clergy in the Old City tell of a deteriorating atmosphere of harassment, apathy from authorities, and a growing fear that incidents of spitting and vandalism could turn into something far darker".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/as-attacks-on-christians-become-more-frequent-a-crisis-looms-for-israel/|title=As attacks on Christians become more frequent, a crisis looms for Israel|date=March 30, 2023|publisher=The Times of Israel}}</ref>

"It is unfortunate that a segment of our own academic and media elite has fallen for the games of Iranian and Islamist propagandists."</ref>) :<ref>[https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2003/10/09/symposium-the-muslim-persecution-of-christians/ Symposium: The Muslim Persecution of Christians]. By Dr. Walid Phares, October 9, 2003.</ref> "The conflict between Israel and the Palestinians has, on the Palestinian side, moved from largely nationalist to largely Islamist rhetoric giving the conflict a religious caste that makes it even more intractable. if persecution continues to drive out Christians from the Middle East (where they were a quarter of the population a century ago) then conflict will be largely Israeli/Jew vs Arab/Muslim with no intermediates."

"It is unfortunate that a segment of our own academic and media elite has fallen for the games of Iranian and Islamist propagandists."</ref>) :<ref>[https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2003/10/09/symposium-the-muslim-persecution-of-christians/ Symposium: The Muslim Persecution of Christians]. By Dr. Walid Phares, October 9, 2003.</ref> "The conflict between Israel and the Palestinians has, on the Palestinian side, moved from largely nationalist to largely Islamist rhetoric giving the conflict a religious caste that makes it even more intractable. if persecution continues to drive out Christians from the Middle East (where they were a quarter of the population a century ago) then conflict will be largely Israeli/Jew vs Arab/Muslim with no intermediates."

A number of Christians are indigenous to "Palestine", and many of these are descended from the first Christians- the first Jews who chose to follow Christ and recognize him as the messiah. Also many Arameans, another Semitic group native to the area, accepted Christ very early on in the history of Christianity, and thus contribute a lot to the genetics of today's Christians in the Palestinian Authority, later joined over thousand years later by surviving European crusaders and their families after their defeat at the hands of the Islamic armies,<ref>http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/2045/palestinian-christianity-myth</ref> when they blended into the native, Semitic Christian population.

A number of Christians are indigenous to "Palestine", and many of these are descended from the first Christians. Also many Arameans, another Semitic group native to the area, accepted Christ very early on in the history of Christianity, and thus contribute a lot to the genetics of today's Christians in the Palestinian Authority, later joined over thousand years later by surviving European crusaders and their families after their defeat at the hands of the Islamic armies,<ref>http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/2045/palestinian-christianity-myth</ref> when they blended into the native, Semitic Christian population.

[[File:Bethlehem, Church of the Nativity.JPG|thumb|The Church of the Nativity in [[Bethlehem]].]]

[[File:Bethlehem, Church of the Nativity.JPG|thumb|The Church of the Nativity in [[Bethlehem]].]]

In the Gaza Strip, the Christian population has plummeted from about 3,000 a decade ago to an estimated 1,000 today, most of them Greek Orthodox.

In the Gaza Strip, the Christian population has plummeted from about 3,000 a decade ago to an estimated 1,000 today, most of them Greek Orthodox.

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“Though the Christians in the PA avoid saying so publicly, many of them fear – with good reason – that Muslim aggression against them will only escalate,” wrote Edy Cohen, a researcher at the center. “Such fears are all the stronger in light of the thunderous silence of the Western [and Israeli] media, in the face of the Christian minority’s ongoing disappearance from the PA and Islamic lands in general.”

“Though the Christians in the PA avoid saying so publicly, many of them fear – with good reason – that Muslim aggression against them will only escalate,” wrote Edy Cohen, a researcher at the center. “Such fears are all the stronger in light of the thunderous silence of the Western [and Israeli] media, in the face of the Christian minority’s ongoing disappearance from the PA and Islamic lands in general.”

A Palestinian mob caused extensive damage to a Christian holy site in Nablus (Shechem) known as Jacob’s Well on Sunday night.</blockquote></ref>

A Palestinian mob caused extensive damage to a Christian holy site in Nablus (Shechem) known as Jacob’s Well on Sunday night.</blockquote></ref>

The mayor of [[Ramallah]] Issa Kassis is Christian.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indcatholicnews.com/news/21437|title=Holy Land: Christian leaders support Palestine's membership of UN|publisher=Independent Catholic News|date=November 14, 2012}}</ref> The mayor of Ramallah expressed to the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Pierbattista Pizzaballa, his willingness to deepen the collaboration between the municipality of the city and the Church, especially with regard to possible Palestinian Christian cultural projects. Members of the parish council also stressed the importance of this kind of initiatives, recalling their desire to increase the visibility of Christians in the Holy Land, not only locally but also abroad.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://en.abouna.org/content/holy-land-patriarch-pizzaballa-makes-pastoral-visit-ramallah|date=May 10, 2023|title=Holy Land: Patriarch Pizzaballa makes a pastoral visit to Ramallah|publisher=Abouna}}</ref> The mayor of [[Bethlehem]], Hanna Hanania, is also Christian.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://scenenow.com/ArtsAndCulture/Christian-Palestinians-Are-Facing-Memoricide-And-Possible-Extinction|title=Christian Palestinians Are Facing Memoricide…And Possible Extinction|date=December 25, 2023|publisher=Scene Now}}</ref>

The mayor of [[Ramallah]] Issa Kassis is Christian.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indcatholicnews.com/news/21437|title=Holy Land: Christian leaders support Palestine's membership of UN|publisher=Independent Catholic News|date=November 14, 2012}}</ref> The mayor of Ramallah expressed to the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Pierbattista Pizzaballa, his willingness to deepen the collaboration between the municipality of the city and the Church, especially with regard to possible Palestinian Christian cultural projects. Members of the parish council also stressed the importance of this kind of initiatives, recalling their desire to increase the visibility of Christians in the Holy Land, not only locally but also abroad.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://en.abouna.org/content/holy-land-patriarch-pizzaballa-makes-pastoral-visit-ramallah|date=May 10, 2023|title=Holy Land: Patriarch Pizzaballa makes a pastoral visit to Ramallah|publisher=Abouna}}</ref> The mayor of [[Bethlehem]], Hanna Hanania, is also Christian.

Approximately more than a half the population of Ramallah is Christian and the other half is Muslim.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Ramallah|title=Ramallah|publisher=Britannica}}</ref>

Approximately more than a half the population of Ramallah is Christian and the other half is Muslim.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Ramallah|title=Ramallah|publisher=Britannica}}</ref>