Israel’s Impact: Erosion of Christian Heritage in Palestine

The committee has confirmed that since the onset of the conflict, a total of 44 Christians have lost their lives. Unfortunately, these deaths were attributed both to direct attacks by the Israeli regime and deteriorating humanitarian conditions.

In addition to these tragic losses, the committee highlighted the ongoing harassment faced by Christians, particularly in the village of Taybeh located in the occupied West Bank. Key issues include:

• Continuous settler attacks on the village
• The freezing of bank accounts belonging to the Orthodox Patriarchate in Jerusalem (al-Quds)
• Heavy taxation imposed on churches
• Seizure of properties owned by the Armenian Church

These actions are viewed as violations of long-standing agreements that have traditionally governed the status of Christian communities in the region.

Moreover, Christians are subjected to daily harassment, which includes:

• Physical assaults
• Spitting
• Desecration of churches and cemeteries

The restrictions on movement, exacerbated by checkpoints and the separation wall, often hinder Christians from practicing their faith or participating in significant religious events such as Easter.

The committee has also drawn attention to the situation in Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus Christ, which is now encircled by over 150 checkpoints and settlements. The area of Bethlehem has dramatically shrunk from 37 square kilometers to a mere 7.3 square kilometers.

One of the most significant threats to the Christian presence in the Holy Land is the Israeli settlement plan known as “E1.” This plan is expected to:

• Further isolate Jerusalem from its Palestinian surroundings
• Tighten the siege on Bethlehem

Historically, before the Nakba of 1948, Palestinian Christians constituted approximately 12.5% of the population in historic Palestine. Today, this figure has plummeted to only 1.2%, with the proportion dropping to 1% in the territories occupied in 1967.

The committee firmly asserted that the Israeli regime has systematically dismantled the Christian presence in the Holy Land. They emphasized that the lies of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cannot erase the historical reality faced by Palestinians living under occupation. The committee’s statement was accompanied by a poignant photograph of an Israeli tank positioned outside the Church of the Nativity during the 2002 invasion of the West Bank, a stark reminder of the ongoing violence and oppression.

The committee also reflected on the events of the Nakba, during which around 90,000 Palestinian Christians were displaced and approximately 30 churches were forced to close. Notably, Zionist militias committed heinous acts against Christian civilians, including:

• The massacre of 25 individuals at the Semiramis Hotel in Jerusalem
• The execution of 12 others in the village of Eilabun near Nazareth in 1948

Additionally, the statement recalled the Christian villages of Iqrit and Kafr Bir’im in the occupied Upper Galilee. Residents of these villages have been barred from returning despite favorable court rulings. In 1953, Israeli forces demolished these villages to prevent the return of their inhabitants, leaving only churches and cemeteries as remnants of their existence.

In conclusion, the Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs has called upon the international community to hold the Israeli regime accountable under international law. They urged global churches to advocate for their fellow Christians in the Holy Land and demanded that the United Nations take measures to protect freedom of worship and ensure the Christian community’s continued presence in Palestine. This pressing issue deserves global attention as the plight of Christians in this region continues to unfold.