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→Christians in the West Bank
== Christians in the West Bank ==
== Christians in the West Bank ==
[[File:Catholics in the West Bank.jpg|thumbnail|Catholics in the West Bank.]]
[[File:Catholics in the West Bank.jpg|thumbnail|Catholics in the West Bank.]]
A large number of Christians are indigenous to the region,<ref name=SME>{{cite web|url=https://blog.sme.sk/kandalaft/politika/palestinski-krestania-zabudnuta-obet-okupacie|title=Palestinian Christians - a forgotten victim of the occupation|date=April 26, 2012|publisher=SME Blog (Slovakia)}}</ref> 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.
There are Catholic and Orthodox Churches in the [[West Bank]] and [[Gaza]]. The Iraqi-born, Assyrian Australian prelate, [[Mar Mari Emmanuel]], visited Gaza once.
The situation of Christians in Bethlehem has deteriorated dramatically in the last century, and especially since the PA took control of the city in 1995. In 1947, Christians comprised about 85% of the city’s population, but that figure had plunged to 16% by 2016, and is estimated since then.
The situation of Christians in Bethlehem has deteriorated dramatically in the last century, and especially since the PA took control of the city in 1995. In 1947, Christians comprised about 85% of the city’s population, but that figure had plunged to 16% by 2016, and is estimated since then.