Palestinian Christians
Encyclopedia
Palestinian Christians are Arabic-speaking Christians descended from the people of the geographical area of Palestine
. Within Palestine, there are churches and believers from many Christian denominations, including Oriental Orthodoxy
, Eastern Orthodoxy, Catholic
(Eastern and Western rites), Protestant, and others. In both the local dialect of Palestinian Arabic
and in classical or modern standard Arabic
, Christians are called Nasrani (a derivative of the Arabic word for Nazareth
, al-Nasira) or Masihi (a derivative of Arabic word Masih, meaning "Messiah
").. In Hebrew, they are called Notzri (also spelt Notsri) which means "Nazarene
" in Hebrew
Christians comprise less than 4% of Arabs living within the borders of former Mandate Palestine
today. They are approximately 4% of the West Bank
population, less than 1% in Gaza, and nearly 10% of Israel's Arab population. According to official British Mandate estimates, Mandate Palestine’s Christian population varied between 9.5% (1922) and 7.9% (1946) of the total population. Today, the majority of Palestinian Christians live outside of Palestine because of emigration in response to the 1948 War, the Six-Day War
in 1967, occupation by Jordan
, Egypt
, and Israel
, and Muslim pressure, but many still live in Israel, Jordan, and the Palestinian territories
.
Today, the majority of Palestinian Christians live abroad. In 2005, it was estimated that the Christian population of the Palestinian territories
was between 40,000 and 90,000 people, or 2.1 to 3.4% of the population. Most are in the West Bank
, but there is a community of 5,000 in the Gaza Strip
. Palestinian Christians in Israel number between 144,000 and 196,000, or 2.1 to 2.8% of the total population, and about 9.8% of the non-Jewish Arab population.
According to the CIA world factbook, as of 2009, the following statistics are available on Palestinian Christians.
Around 50% of Palestinian Christians belong to the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem
, one of the 16 churches of Eastern Orthodoxy. This community has also been known as the Arab Orthodox
Christians. There are also Maronites, Melkite
-Eastern Catholics, Jacobites
, Chaldeans
, Roman Catholics (locally known as Latins), Syriac Catholics, Orthodox Copts, Catholic Copts
, Armenian Orthodox, Armenian Catholic, Quakers {Friends Society}, Methodists, Presbyterians, Anglicans {Episcopal}, Lutherans, Evangelicals, Pentecostals, Nazarene
, Assemblies of God
, Baptists and other Protestants; in addition of small groups of Jehovah's Witnesses
, Mormons
and others.
The Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem
, Theófilos III
, is the leader of the Palestinian and Jordanian Orthodox Church of Jerusalem
, but Israel and some church members have refused to recognize his appointment. If confirmed, he would replace Patriarch Irenaios
, whose status within the church became disputed after a term surrounded by controversy and scandal given that he sold Palestinian property to Israeli Orthodox Jews. Archbishop Theodosios (Hanna) of Sebastia is the highest ranking Palestinian clergyman in the Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem. The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem
, Fouad Twal
, is the leader of the Roman Catholics in Jerusalem, Palestine
, Jordan
, Israel
and Cyprus
. The Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem is Suheil Dawani, who replaced Bishop Riah Abou Al Assal. Elias Chacour
, a Palestinian refugee, of the Melkite Eastern Catholic Church
is Archbishop of Haifa
, Acre and the Galilee
. Bishop Dr. Munib Younan
is the president of the Lutheran World Federation
and the Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL).
The earliest Christian communities in Palestine were of Jewish descent. Those were joined in the first and second centuries by Greeks.
To the contrary of the rest of oriental Christians, the vast majority of Palestinian Christians followed the Byzantine Christianity of the emperors
after the Council of Chalcedon
in 451 A.D., and were known by other Syrian Christian
as Melkites (followers of the king).
The Melkites were heavily Hellenised
in the following centuries abandoning their distinct Western Aramaic
languages in favour of Greek
.
By the 7th century, Jerusalem and Palestine became the epicentre of Greek culture in the orient.
Soon after the Muslim conquests, the Melkites began abandoning Greek for Arabic
, a process which made them the most Arabicised
Christians in the Levant.
Most Palestinian Christians nowadays see themselves as Arab Christians
. In addition, they claim descent from a mixture of Jews who converted to Christianity in the first three centuries AD (also known as Jewish Christians
), Byzantine
, pre-Islamic Arabs (Ghassanids
), Crusaders
and Armenians
. The region called Israel/Palestine is considered the Holy Land
by Christians. Major Christian holy cities such as Bethlehem
, Nazareth
and Jerusalem are located in Israel and the Palestinian territories.
Christians within the Palestinian territories
constitute around one in seventy-five residents. In 2009, Reuters
reported that 50,000 – 90,000 Christians remained in the West Bank, with around 17,000 following the various Catholic traditions and most of the rest following the Orthodox church and other eastern denominations. Both Bethlehem and Nazareth
, which were once overwhelmingly Christian, now have Muslim majorities. Today about three-quarters of all Bethlehem Christians live abroad, and more Jerusalem Christians live in Sydney
, Australia
than in Jerusalem. Christians now comprise 2.5 percent of the population Jerusalem. Those remaining include a few born in the Old City when Christians there constituted a majority.
In a 2007 letter from Congressman Henry Hyde
to President George W. Bush
, Hyde stated that "the Christian community is being crushed in the mill of the bitter Israeli-Palestinian conflict" and that expanding Jewish settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem were "irreversibly damaging the dwindling Christian community".
There have been reports of attacks on Palestinian Christians in Gaza from Muslim extremist groups. Gaza Pastor Manuel Musallam has voiced doubts that those attacks were religiously motivated. However, the Palestinian President, Prime Minister, Hamas and many other political and religious leaders condemned such attacks.
After Pope Benedict XVI's comments on Islam
in September 2006, five churches not affiliated with either Catholicism or the Pope—among them an Anglican and an Orthodox
church—were firebombed and shot at in the West Bank and Gaza. A group called "Lions of Monotheism" claimed responsibility. Former Palestinian Prime Minister and current Hamas
leader Ismail Haniya
condemned the attacks, and police presence was elevated in Bethlehem
, which has a sizable Christian community.
Armenians in Jerusalem, identified as Palestinian Christians or Israeli-Armenians
, have also been attacked and received threats from Jewish extremists; Christians and clergy have been spat at, and one Armenian Archbishop was beaten and his centuries old cross broken. In September 2009, two Armenian Christian clergy were expelled after a brawl erupted with a Jewish extremist for spitting on holy Christian objects.
In February 2009, a group of Christian activists within the West Bank
wrote an open letter
asking Pope Benedict XVI
to postpone his scheduled trip to Israel unless the government changes its treatment. They highlighted improved access to places of worship and ending the taxation of church properties as key concerns. The Pope began his five-day visit to Israel and the Palestinian Territories on Sunday, May 10, planning to express support for the region's Christians. In response to Palestinian public statements, Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor criticized the political polarization of the papal visit, remarking that "[i]t will serve the cause of peace much better if this visit is taken for what it is, a pilgrimage, a visit for the cause of peace and unity".
In November 2009, Berlanty Azzam, a Palestinian Christian student from Gaza, was expelled from Bethlehem and was not allowed to continue her studying. She has two months left for the completion of her degree. Berlanty Azzam said the Israeli military handcuffed her, blindfolded her, and left her waiting for hours at a checkpoint on her way back from a job interview in Ramallah. She described the incident as "frightening" and claimed Israeli official treated her like a criminal and denied her an education because she is a Palestinian Christian from Gaza.
recorded over 200 localities as having a Christian population. The totals by denomination for all of Palestine were: Orthodox 33,369, Syrian Orthodox (Jacobite) 813, Roman Catholic 14,245, Greek Catholic (Melchite) 11,191, Syrian Catholic 323, Armenian Catholic 271, Maronite 2,382, Armenian Church (Gregorian) 2,939, Coptic Church 297, Abyssinian Church 85, Church of England 4,553, Presbyterian Church 361, Protestants 826, Lutheran Church 437, Templars Community 724, Others 208.
, Birzeit, Bethlehem
, Zababdeh
, Nazareth
, Jifna
, Ein 'Arik
, Aboud
, Taybeh
, Beit Jala
and Beit Sahour
are Christians. The Governor of Tubas
, Marwan Tubassi, is a Christian. The former Palestinian representative to the United States, Afif Saffieh, is a Christian, as is the ambassador of the Palestine in France, Hind Khoury. The Palestinian women's soccer team has a majority of Muslim girls, but the captain, Honey Thaljieh, is a Christian from Bethlehem. Many of the Palestinian officials such as ministers, advisers, ambassadors, consulates, heads of missions, PLC, PNA, PLO, Fateh leaders and others are Christians. Some Christians were part of the affluent segments of Palestinian society that left the country during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War
by Israel. In West Jerusalem, over 51% of Christian Palestinians lost their homes to the Israelis, according to the historian Sami Hadawi
.
) Rev. Dr. Naim Ateek
, former Canon of St. George's Cathedral in Jerusalem. According to its web site, "Sabeel is an ecumenical grassroots liberation theology movement among Palestinian Christians. Inspired by the life and teaching of Jesus Christ, this liberation theology seeks to deepen the faith of Palestinian Christians, to promote unity among them toward social action. Sabeel strives to develop a spirituality based on love, justice, peace, nonviolence, liberation and reconciliation for the different national and faith communities. The word "Sabeel" is Arabic for ‘the way‘ and also a ‘channel‘ or ‘spring‘ of life-giving water."
Palestine Document, "A moment of truth." The document call echoes a similar summons issued by South African churches in the mid-1980s at the height of repression under the apartheid regime. That call served to galvanize churches and the wider public in a concerted effort that eventually brought the end of apartheid. Among the authors of the document are Patriarch Michel Sabah, Archbishop Attalah Hanna, Father Jamal Khader, Rev. Mitri Raheb, Rev. Naim Ateeq and Rifat Kassis who is the coordinator and chief spokesperson of the group.
The document declares the Israeli occupation of Palestine a "sin against God" and against humanity. It calls on churches and Christians all over the world to consider it and adopt it and to call for the boycott of Israel. Section 7 calls for “the beginning of a system of economic sanctions and boycott to be applied against Israel.” It states that isolation of Israel will cause pressure on Israel to abolish all of what it labels as "apartheid laws" that discriminate against Palestinians and non-Jews.
, The Holy Family Catholic Church in Zeitoun Street, and the Gaza Baptist Church
, in addition to an Anglican chapel in the Al-Ahli Al-Arabi Arab Evangelical Hospital. Saint Porphyrius is an Orthodox Church that dates back to the 12th century. Gaza Baptist Church is the city’s only Evangelical Church; it lies close to the Legislative Council (parliamentary building). Christians in Gaza freely practice their religion. They also may observe all the religious holidays in accordance with the Christian calendars followed by their churches.
Those among them working as civil servants in the government and in the private sector are given an official holiday during the week, which some devote to communal prayer in churches. Christians are permitted to obtain any job, in addition to having their full rights and duties as their Muslim counterparts in accordance with the Palestinian Declaration of Independence, the regime, and all the systems prevailing over the territories. Moreover, seats have been allocated to Christian citizens in the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) in accordance with a quota system that allocates based on a significant Christian presence.
A census revealed that 40 percent of the Christian community worked in the medical, educational, engineering and law sectors. Additionally, the churches in Gaza are renowned for the relief and educational services that they offer, and Muslim citizens participate in these services. Palestinian citizens as a whole benefit from these services. The Latin Patriarchate School, for example, offers relief in the form of medication and social and educational services. The school has been offering services for nearly 150 years.
In 1974, the idea of establishing a new school was proposed by Father Jalil Awad, a former parish priest in Gaza who recognized the need to expand the Latin Patriarchate School and build a new complex. Today, the Holy family school has 1,250 students and the Roman Catholic primary school, which is an extension of the Latin Patriarchate School, continues to enroll a rising number of young students. The primary school was established approximately 20 years ago. Aside from education, other services are offered to Muslims and Christians alike with no discrimination. Services include women’s groups, students' groups and youth groups, such as those offered at the Baptist Church on weekdays.
International Christian Concern
reported that in October 2007, the Baptist
manager of the only Christian bookstore in the Gaza Strip was murdered, following the firebombing of his bookstore and his receipt of death threats from Muslim extremists angry at what they viewed to be his missionary activity.
Christians began to emigrate from Palestine after the establishment of the state of Israel. Many Palestinian Christians emigrated to countries such as Australia
, Jordan
, Lebanon
, the United States and Canada, and a larger number to Latin America
with the most settling in Chile
and Argentina
. The Palestinian Authority is unable to keep exact tallies. As well, Muslim Palestinians have higher birth rates than the Christians, which strongly affects the demographics.
The causes of this Christian exodus are hotly debated, with various possibilities put forth. The vast majority of Palestinian Christians blame the exodus on Israel. Reuters
has reported that the emigrants left for better living standards rather than any other reason. The BBC
has also blamed the economic decline in the Palestinian Territories as well as pressure from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for the exodus. A report on Bethlehem residents stated both Christians and Muslims wished to leave but the Christians possessed better contacts with people abroad and higher levels of education. The Vatican and the Catholic Church blamed the Israeli occupation and the conflict in the Holy Land for the Christian exodus from the Holy Land and the Middle East in general.
The Jerusalem Post
(An Israeli newspaper) has stated that the "shrinking of the Palestinian Christian community in the Holy Land came as a direct result of its middle-class standards" and that Muslim pressure has not played a major role according to Christian residents themselves. It reported that the Christians have a public image of elitism and of class privilege as well as of non-violence and of open personalities, which leaves them more vulnerable to criminals than Muslims. Hanna Siniora, a prominent Christian Palestinian human rights activist, has attributed harassment against Christians to "little groups" of "hoodlums" rather than to the Hamas and Fatah governments.
According to a report in The Independent
, thousands of Christian Palestinians "emigrated to Latin America in the 1920s when Palestine was hit by drought and a severe economic depression."
Today, Chile
houses the largest Palestinian Christian community in the world and Jordan has the second largest Palestinian Christian community outside of Palestine. Around 600,000 Palestinian Christians reside in Chile, most of whom were from Beit Jala
, Bethlehem, and Beit Sahur. Also, El Salvador
, Honduras
, Brazil
, Colombia
, Argentina
, Venezuela
, and other Latin American countries have significant Palestinian Christian communities, some of whom immigrated almost a century ago during the time of Ottoman Palestine, but most of Christians were expelled from their homes in 1948 by Israel. During the 2008 Gaza War, Palestinian Christians in Chile demonstrated against the Israeli bombardment of Gaza. They were hoping to direct the government's attention to alter their relations with Israel. Latin America has a population of about 3 million Palestinian Christians or almost 40% of the Palestinian Christian population worldwide.
In a 2006 poll of Christians in Bethlehem by the Palestinian Centre for Research and Cultural Dialogue, 90% reported having Muslim friends, 73.3% agreed that the Palestinian Authority treats Christian heritage in the city with respect, and 78% attributed the ongoing exodus of Christians from Bethlehem to the Israeli occupation and travel restrictions on the area. Daniel Rossing, the Israeli Ministry of Religious Affairs' chief liaison to Christians in the 1970s and 1980s, has stated that the situations for them in Gaza became much worse after the election of Hamas. He also stated that the Palestinian Authority, which counts on Christian westerners for financial support, treats the minority fairly. He blamed the Israeli West Bank barrier
as the primary problem for the Christians.
The United States State Department's 2006 report on religious freedom criticized both Israel for its restrictions on travel to Christian holy sites and the Palestinian Authority for its failure to stamp out anti-Christian crime. It also reported that the former gives preferential treatment in basic civic services to Jews and the latter does so to Muslims. The report stated that, generally, ordinary Muslim and Christian citizens enjoy good relations in contrast to the "strained" Jewish and non-Jewish relations. A 2005 BBC
report also described Muslim and Christian relations as "peaceful".
The Arab Human Rights Association, an Arab NGO in Israel, has stated that Israeli authorities have denied Palestinian Christians in Israel access to holy places, prevented repairs needed to preserve historic holy sites, and carried out physical attacks on religious leaders.
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
. Within Palestine, there are churches and believers from many Christian denominations, including Oriental Orthodoxy
Oriental Orthodoxy
Oriental Orthodoxy is the faith of those Eastern Christian Churches that recognize only three ecumenical councils — the First Council of Nicaea, the First Council of Constantinople and the First Council of Ephesus. They rejected the dogmatic definitions of the Council of Chalcedon...
, Eastern Orthodoxy, Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
(Eastern and Western rites), Protestant, and others. In both the local dialect of Palestinian Arabic
Palestinian Arabic
Palestinian Arabic is a Levantine Arabic dialect subgroup spoken by Palestinians and the majority of Arab-Israelis. Rural varieties of this dialect exhibit several distinctive features; particularly the pronunciation of qaf as kaf, which distinguish them from other Arabic varieties...
and in classical or modern standard Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
, Christians are called Nasrani (a derivative of the Arabic word for Nazareth
Nazareth
Nazareth is the largest city in the North District of Israel. Known as "the Arab capital of Israel," the population is made up predominantly of Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel...
, al-Nasira) or Masihi (a derivative of Arabic word Masih, meaning "Messiah
Messiah
A messiah is a redeemer figure expected or foretold in one form or another by a religion. Slightly more widely, a messiah is any redeemer figure. Messianic beliefs or theories generally relate to eschatological improvement of the state of humanity or the world, in other words the World to...
").. In Hebrew, they are called Notzri (also spelt Notsri) which means "Nazarene
Nazarene
Nazarene may refer to:* Nazarene , a title applied to Jesus of Nazareth* Nazarene , a sect of 4th century Christianity described by Epiphanius* Church of the Nazarene, modern Christian Pentecostal denomination...
" in Hebrew
Christians comprise less than 4% of Arabs living within the borders of former Mandate Palestine
Mandate Palestine
Mandate Palestine existed while the British Mandate for Palestine, which formally began in September 1923 and terminated in May 1948, was in effect...
today. They are approximately 4% of the West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
population, less than 1% in Gaza, and nearly 10% of Israel's Arab population. According to official British Mandate estimates, Mandate Palestine’s Christian population varied between 9.5% (1922) and 7.9% (1946) of the total population. Today, the majority of Palestinian Christians live outside of Palestine because of emigration in response to the 1948 War, the Six-Day War
Six-Day War
The Six-Day War , also known as the June War, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, or Third Arab-Israeli War, was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt , Jordan, and Syria...
in 1967, occupation by Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, and Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, and Muslim pressure, but many still live in Israel, Jordan, and the Palestinian territories
Palestinian territories
The Palestinian territories comprise the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Since the Palestinian Declaration of Independence in 1988, the region is today recognized by three-quarters of the world's countries as the State of Palestine or simply Palestine, although this status is not recognized by the...
.
Demographics and denominations
Many ethnicities have lived in the area of Mandate Palestine dating back thousands of years. Consequently, Palestinian Christians are the descendants of the many peoples who have lived in the area.Today, the majority of Palestinian Christians live abroad. In 2005, it was estimated that the Christian population of the Palestinian territories
Palestinian territories
The Palestinian territories comprise the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Since the Palestinian Declaration of Independence in 1988, the region is today recognized by three-quarters of the world's countries as the State of Palestine or simply Palestine, although this status is not recognized by the...
was between 40,000 and 90,000 people, or 2.1 to 3.4% of the population. Most are in the West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
, but there is a community of 5,000 in the Gaza Strip
Gaza Strip
thumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
. Palestinian Christians in Israel number between 144,000 and 196,000, or 2.1 to 2.8% of the total population, and about 9.8% of the non-Jewish Arab population.
According to the CIA world factbook, as of 2009, the following statistics are available on Palestinian Christians.
| Population group | Christian population | % Christian | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Bank* | 167,000 | 8 | ||||
| Gaza Strip | 10,000 | 0.3 | ||||
| Arabs in Israel | 123,000 | 9.1 | ||||
| Non-Arabs in Israel** | 29,000 | 0.4 | ||||
| Total (only Arabs) | 302,000 | 6.0 | ||||
| Total (including non-Arabs) | 331,000 | 3.0 | ||||
Around 50% of Palestinian Christians belong to the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem
Orthodox Church of Jerusalem
The Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem , also known as the Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, is an autocephalous Orthodox Church within the wider communion of Orthodox Christianity. Headed by the Patriarch of Jerusalem, it is regarded by Orthodox Christians as the mother church of all of...
, one of the 16 churches of Eastern Orthodoxy. This community has also been known as the Arab Orthodox
Arab Orthodox
The Arab Orthodox are Arab Greek Orthodox Christian communities which have existed in Greater Syria since the early years of Christianity. During the Palestine Mandate they were prominent in many of the major cities including Jaffa, Nazareth, Haifa and Jerusalem and also formed the majority of...
Christians. There are also Maronites, Melkite
Melkite
The term Melkite, also written Melchite, refers to various Byzantine Rite Christian churches and their members originating in the Middle East. The word comes from the Syriac word malkāyā , and the Arabic word Malakī...
-Eastern Catholics, Jacobites
Syriac Orthodox Church
The Syriac Orthodox Church; is an autocephalous Oriental Orthodox church based in the Eastern Mediterranean, with members spread throughout the world. The Syriac Orthodox Church claims to derive its origin from one of the first Christian communities, established in Antioch by the Apostle St....
, Chaldeans
Chaldean Catholic Church
The Chaldean Catholic Church , is an Eastern Syriac particular church of the Catholic Church, maintaining full communion with the Bishop of Rome and the rest of the Catholic Church...
, Roman Catholics (locally known as Latins), Syriac Catholics, Orthodox Copts, Catholic Copts
Coptic Catholic Church
The Coptic Catholic Church is an Alexandrian Rite particular Church in full communion with the Pope of Rome. Historically, Coptic Catholics represent a schism from the Coptic Orthodox Church, leaving that church in order to come into full communion with the Bishop of Rome.The current Coptic...
, Armenian Orthodox, Armenian Catholic, Quakers {Friends Society}, Methodists, Presbyterians, Anglicans {Episcopal}, Lutherans, Evangelicals, Pentecostals, Nazarene
Church of the Nazarene
The Church of the Nazarene is an evangelical Christian denomination that emerged from the 19th century Holiness movement in North America with its members colloquially referred to as Nazarenes. It is the largest Wesleyan-holiness denomination in the world. At the end of 2010, the Church of the...
, Assemblies of God
Assemblies of God
The Assemblies of God , officially the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, is a group of over 140 autonomous but loosely-associated national groupings of churches which together form the world's largest Pentecostal denomination...
, Baptists and other Protestants; in addition of small groups of Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. The religion reports worldwide membership of over 7 million adherents involved in evangelism, convention attendance of over 12 million, and annual...
, Mormons
Mormons
The Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, a religion started by Joseph Smith during the American Second Great Awakening. A vast majority of Mormons are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints while a minority are members of other independent churches....
and others.
The Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem
Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem
The Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem is the head bishop of the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem, ranking fourth of nine Patriarchs in the Eastern Orthodox Church. Since 2005, the Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem has been Theophilos III...
, Theófilos III
Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem
Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem is the current Patriarch of the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem...
, is the leader of the Palestinian and Jordanian Orthodox Church of Jerusalem
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
, but Israel and some church members have refused to recognize his appointment. If confirmed, he would replace Patriarch Irenaios
Patriarch Irenaios
Irenaios Skopelitis was the 140th patriarch of the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem from 2001 to 2005, though the dismissal was disputed...
, whose status within the church became disputed after a term surrounded by controversy and scandal given that he sold Palestinian property to Israeli Orthodox Jews. Archbishop Theodosios (Hanna) of Sebastia is the highest ranking Palestinian clergyman in the Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem. The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem
Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem
The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem is the title possessed by the Latin Rite Catholic Archbishop of Jerusalem. The Archdiocese of Jerusalem has jurisdiction for all Latin Rite Catholics in Israel, the Palestinian Territories, Jordan and Cyprus...
, Fouad Twal
Fouad Twal
Fouad Twal is the Roman Catholic archbishop and Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem since June 2008.He was ordained to the priesthood on 29 June 1966. After his ordination he was the vicar of Ramallah. In 1972 he entered the Pontifical Lateran University where he studied for a doctorate in canon law. ...
, is the leader of the Roman Catholics in Jerusalem, Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
, Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
. The Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem is Suheil Dawani, who replaced Bishop Riah Abou Al Assal. Elias Chacour
Elias Chacour
Elias Chacour is the Archbishop of Akko, Haifa, Nazareth and All Galilee of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church. Noted for his efforts to promote reconciliation between Arabs and Israelis, he is the author of two books about the experience of Palestinian people living in present-day Israel...
, a Palestinian refugee, of the Melkite Eastern Catholic Church
Melkite Greek Catholic Church
The Melkite Greek Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with the Holy See as part of the worldwide Catholic Church. The Melkites, Byzantine Rite Catholics of mixed Eastern Mediterranean and Greek origin, trace their history to the early Christians of Antioch, Syria, of...
is Archbishop of Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
, Acre and the Galilee
Galilee
Galilee , is a large region in northern Israel which overlaps with much of the administrative North District of the country. Traditionally divided into Upper Galilee , Lower Galilee , and Western Galilee , extending from Dan to the north, at the base of Mount Hermon, along Mount Lebanon to the...
. Bishop Dr. Munib Younan
Munib Younan
Munib Younan is the elected president of the Lutheran World Federation since 2010 and the Evangelical Lutheran Church Bishop of Palestine and Jordan in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land since 1998.- Education :...
is the president of the Lutheran World Federation
Lutheran World Federation
The Lutheran World Federation is a global communion of national and regional Lutheran churches headquartered in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland. The federation was founded in the Swedish city of Lund in the aftermath of the Second World War in 1947 to coordinate the activities of the...
and the Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL).
Background and early history
To the contrary of the rest of oriental Christians, the vast majority of Palestinian Christians followed the Byzantine Christianity of the emperors
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
after the Council of Chalcedon
Council of Chalcedon
The Council of Chalcedon was a church council held from 8 October to 1 November, 451 AD, at Chalcedon , on the Asian side of the Bosporus. The council marked a significant turning point in the Christological debates that led to the separation of the church of the Eastern Roman Empire in the 5th...
in 451 A.D., and were known by other Syrian Christian
Syriac Christianity
Syriac or Syrian Christianity , the Syriac-speaking Christians of Mesopotamia, comprises multiple Christian traditions of Eastern Christianity. With a history going back to the 1st Century AD, in modern times it is represented by denominations primarily in the Middle East and in Kerala, India....
as Melkites (followers of the king).
The Melkites were heavily Hellenised
Hellenization
Hellenization is a term used to describe the spread of ancient Greek culture, and, to a lesser extent, language. It is mainly used to describe the spread of Hellenistic civilization during the Hellenistic period following the campaigns of Alexander the Great of Macedon...
in the following centuries abandoning their distinct Western Aramaic
Western Aramaic languages
Western Aramaic languages is a group of several Aramaic dialects developed and once widely spoken throughout the ancient Levant, as opposed to those from in and around Mesopotamia which make up what is known as the Eastern Aramaic languages...
languages in favour of Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
.
By the 7th century, Jerusalem and Palestine became the epicentre of Greek culture in the orient.
Soon after the Muslim conquests, the Melkites began abandoning Greek for Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
, a process which made them the most Arabicised
Arabization
Arabization or Arabisation describes a growing cultural influence on a non-Arab area that gradually changes into one that speaks Arabic and/or incorporates Arab culture...
Christians in the Levant.
Most Palestinian Christians nowadays see themselves as Arab Christians
Arab Christians
Arab Christians are ethnic Arabs of Christian faith, sometimes also including those, who are identified with Arab panethnicity. They are the remnants of ancient Arab Christian clans or Arabized Christians. Many of the modern Arab Christians are descendants of pre-Islamic Christian Arabian tribes,...
. In addition, they claim descent from a mixture of Jews who converted to Christianity in the first three centuries AD (also known as Jewish Christians
Jewish Christians
Jewish Christians is a term which appears in historical texts contrasting Christians of Jewish origin with Gentile Christians, both in discussion of the New Testament church and the second and following centuries....
), Byzantine
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
, pre-Islamic Arabs (Ghassanids
Ghassanids
The Ghassanids were a group of South Arabian Christian tribes that emigrated in the early 3rd century from Yemen to Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and the Holy Land....
), Crusaders
Crusaders
The Crusaders are a New Zealand professional rugby union team based in Christchurch that competes in the Super Rugby competition. They are the most successful team in Super Rugby history with seven titles...
and Armenians
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
. The region called Israel/Palestine is considered the Holy Land
Holy Land
The Holy Land is a term which in Judaism refers to the Kingdom of Israel as defined in the Tanakh. For Jews, the Land's identifiction of being Holy is defined in Judaism by its differentiation from other lands by virtue of the practice of Judaism often possible only in the Land of Israel...
by Christians. Major Christian holy cities such as Bethlehem
Bethlehem
Bethlehem is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank of the Jordan River, near Israel and approximately south of Jerusalem, with a population of about 30,000 people. It is the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate of the Palestinian National Authority and a hub of Palestinian culture and tourism...
, Nazareth
Nazareth
Nazareth is the largest city in the North District of Israel. Known as "the Arab capital of Israel," the population is made up predominantly of Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel...
and Jerusalem are located in Israel and the Palestinian territories.
Recent history
Palestinian territories
The Palestinian territories comprise the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Since the Palestinian Declaration of Independence in 1988, the region is today recognized by three-quarters of the world's countries as the State of Palestine or simply Palestine, although this status is not recognized by the...
constitute around one in seventy-five residents. In 2009, Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
reported that 50,000 – 90,000 Christians remained in the West Bank, with around 17,000 following the various Catholic traditions and most of the rest following the Orthodox church and other eastern denominations. Both Bethlehem and Nazareth
Nazareth
Nazareth is the largest city in the North District of Israel. Known as "the Arab capital of Israel," the population is made up predominantly of Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel...
, which were once overwhelmingly Christian, now have Muslim majorities. Today about three-quarters of all Bethlehem Christians live abroad, and more Jerusalem Christians live in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
than in Jerusalem. Christians now comprise 2.5 percent of the population Jerusalem. Those remaining include a few born in the Old City when Christians there constituted a majority.
In a 2007 letter from Congressman Henry Hyde
Henry Hyde
Henry John Hyde , an American politician, was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1975 to 2007, representing the 6th District of Illinois, an area of Chicago's northwestern suburbs which included O'Hare International Airport...
to President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
, Hyde stated that "the Christian community is being crushed in the mill of the bitter Israeli-Palestinian conflict" and that expanding Jewish settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem were "irreversibly damaging the dwindling Christian community".
There have been reports of attacks on Palestinian Christians in Gaza from Muslim extremist groups. Gaza Pastor Manuel Musallam has voiced doubts that those attacks were religiously motivated. However, the Palestinian President, Prime Minister, Hamas and many other political and religious leaders condemned such attacks.
After Pope Benedict XVI's comments on Islam
Pope Benedict XVI Islam controversy
The Regensburg lecture was delivered on 12 September 2006 by Pope Benedict XVI at the University of Regensburg in Germany, where he had once served as a professor of theology. It was entitled "Glaube, Vernunft und Universität — Erinnerungen und Reflexionen"...
in September 2006, five churches not affiliated with either Catholicism or the Pope—among them an Anglican and an Orthodox
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
church—were firebombed and shot at in the West Bank and Gaza. A group called "Lions of Monotheism" claimed responsibility. Former Palestinian Prime Minister and current Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
leader Ismail Haniya
Ismail Haniya
Ismail Haniyeh ; is a senior political leader of Hamas and one of two disputed Prime Ministers of the Palestinian National Authority, the matter being under political and legal dispute. He became Prime Minister after the legislative elections of 2006 which Hamas won...
condemned the attacks, and police presence was elevated in Bethlehem
Bethlehem
Bethlehem is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank of the Jordan River, near Israel and approximately south of Jerusalem, with a population of about 30,000 people. It is the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate of the Palestinian National Authority and a hub of Palestinian culture and tourism...
, which has a sizable Christian community.
Armenians in Jerusalem, identified as Palestinian Christians or Israeli-Armenians
Armenians in Israel
The Armenian community has been resident in the Levant for two millennia. After the 1948 Arab–Israeli War and the establishment of the State of Israel, a number of Armenians residing in what had been the British Mandate of Palestine took up Israeli citizenship, whereas other Armenian residents of...
, have also been attacked and received threats from Jewish extremists; Christians and clergy have been spat at, and one Armenian Archbishop was beaten and his centuries old cross broken. In September 2009, two Armenian Christian clergy were expelled after a brawl erupted with a Jewish extremist for spitting on holy Christian objects.
In February 2009, a group of Christian activists within the West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
wrote an open letter
Open letter
An open letter is a letter that is intended to be read by a wide audience, or a letter intended for an individual, but that is nonetheless widely distributed intentionally....
asking Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
to postpone his scheduled trip to Israel unless the government changes its treatment. They highlighted improved access to places of worship and ending the taxation of church properties as key concerns. The Pope began his five-day visit to Israel and the Palestinian Territories on Sunday, May 10, planning to express support for the region's Christians. In response to Palestinian public statements, Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor criticized the political polarization of the papal visit, remarking that "[i]t will serve the cause of peace much better if this visit is taken for what it is, a pilgrimage, a visit for the cause of peace and unity".
In November 2009, Berlanty Azzam, a Palestinian Christian student from Gaza, was expelled from Bethlehem and was not allowed to continue her studying. She has two months left for the completion of her degree. Berlanty Azzam said the Israeli military handcuffed her, blindfolded her, and left her waiting for hours at a checkpoint on her way back from a job interview in Ramallah. She described the incident as "frightening" and claimed Israeli official treated her like a criminal and denied her an education because she is a Palestinian Christian from Gaza.
Historic denominations
The 1922 census of Palestine1922 census of Palestine
The 1922 census of Palestine was the first census carried out by the authorities of the British Mandate of Palestine, on 23 October 1922.The reported population was 757,182, including the military and persons of foreign nationality...
recorded over 200 localities as having a Christian population. The totals by denomination for all of Palestine were: Orthodox 33,369, Syrian Orthodox (Jacobite) 813, Roman Catholic 14,245, Greek Catholic (Melchite) 11,191, Syrian Catholic 323, Armenian Catholic 271, Maronite 2,382, Armenian Church (Gregorian) 2,939, Coptic Church 297, Abyssinian Church 85, Church of England 4,553, Presbyterian Church 361, Protestants 826, Lutheran Church 437, Templars Community 724, Others 208.
Political and Ecumenical Issues
Mayors of RamallahRamallah
Ramallah is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank located 10 kilometers north of Jerusalem, adjacent to al-Bireh. It currently serves as the de facto administrative capital of the Palestinian National Authority...
, Birzeit, Bethlehem
Bethlehem
Bethlehem is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank of the Jordan River, near Israel and approximately south of Jerusalem, with a population of about 30,000 people. It is the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate of the Palestinian National Authority and a hub of Palestinian culture and tourism...
, Zababdeh
Zababdeh
Zababdeh or Zababida is a Palestinian town in the northern West Bank located 15 km southeast of Jenin and 2 km from the Arab American University - Jenin. Its jurisdiction consists of 5,719 dunams, three-fifths being covered with olive and fig groves...
, Nazareth
Nazareth
Nazareth is the largest city in the North District of Israel. Known as "the Arab capital of Israel," the population is made up predominantly of Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel...
, Jifna
Jifna
Jifna is a Palestinian village in the Ramallah and al-Bireh Governorate in the central West Bank, Palestinian Territories, located north of Ramallah and north of Jerusalem. A village of about 1,400 people, Jifna has retained a Christian majority since the 6th century CE...
, Ein 'Arik
Ein 'Arik
Ein 'Arik is a Palestinian town in the Ramallah and al-Bireh Governorate, located 7 kilometers west of Ramallah in the northern West Bank. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics , the town had a population of 1,567 inhabitants in 2007. Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics...
, Aboud
Aboud
Aboud or Abud is a Palestinian village in the Ramallah and al-Bireh Governorate in the central West Bank, Occupied Palestinian territories, about 22 kilometers northwest of Ramallah and 30 kilometers north of Jerusalem. Other nearby towns include al-Lubban to the northeast and Bani Zeid to the...
, Taybeh
Taybeh
Taybeh is a Palestinian village in the West Bank, 35 kilometers north of Jerusalem and 12 kilometers northeast of Ramallah in the Ramallah and al-Bireh Governorate, 850 meters above sea level. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, Taybeh had a population of 1,452 in 2007...
, Beit Jala
Beit Jala
Beit Jala is an Arab Christian town in the Bethlehem Governorate of the West Bank. Beit Jala is located 10 km south of Jerusalem, on the western side of the Hebron road, opposite Bethlehem, at altitude...
and Beit Sahour
Beit Sahour
Beit Sahour is a Palestinian town east of Bethlehem under the administration of the Palestinian National Authority...
are Christians. The Governor of Tubas
Tubas
Tubas or Toubas is a small Palestinian city in the northeastern West Bank, located northeast of Nablus, a few kilometers west of the Jordan River. A city of over 16,000 inhabitants, it serves as the economic and administrative center of the Tubas Governorate. Its urban area consists of 2,271 dunams...
, Marwan Tubassi, is a Christian. The former Palestinian representative to the United States, Afif Saffieh, is a Christian, as is the ambassador of the Palestine in France, Hind Khoury. The Palestinian women's soccer team has a majority of Muslim girls, but the captain, Honey Thaljieh, is a Christian from Bethlehem. Many of the Palestinian officials such as ministers, advisers, ambassadors, consulates, heads of missions, PLC, PNA, PLO, Fateh leaders and others are Christians. Some Christians were part of the affluent segments of Palestinian society that left the country during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War
1948 Arab-Israeli War
The 1948 Arab–Israeli War, known to Israelis as the War of Independence or War of Liberation The war commenced after the termination of the British Mandate for Palestine and the creation of an independent Israel at midnight on 14 May 1948 when, following a period of civil war, Arab armies invaded...
by Israel. In West Jerusalem, over 51% of Christian Palestinians lost their homes to the Israelis, according to the historian Sami Hadawi
Sami Hadawi
Sami Hadawi was a Palestinian scholar and author. He is known for documenting the effects of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War on the Arab population in Palestine and published statistics for individual villages prior to Israel's establishment. Hadawi worked as a land specialist until he was exiled from...
.
Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center: Sabeel
The Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center, is a Christian non-governmental organization based in Jerusalem; was founded in 1989 by the Anglican (EpiscopalAnglican Communion
The Anglican Communion is an international association of national and regional Anglican churches in full communion with the Church of England and specifically with its principal primate, the Archbishop of Canterbury...
) Rev. Dr. Naim Ateek
Naim Ateek
The Rev. Dr. Naim Stifan Ateek is a Palestinian Christian who is the founder and head of the Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center in Jerusalem. He went to school to the Nazareth Baptist school where he also taught after graduation...
, former Canon of St. George's Cathedral in Jerusalem. According to its web site, "Sabeel is an ecumenical grassroots liberation theology movement among Palestinian Christians. Inspired by the life and teaching of Jesus Christ, this liberation theology seeks to deepen the faith of Palestinian Christians, to promote unity among them toward social action. Sabeel strives to develop a spirituality based on love, justice, peace, nonviolence, liberation and reconciliation for the different national and faith communities. The word "Sabeel" is Arabic for ‘the way‘ and also a ‘channel‘ or ‘spring‘ of life-giving water."
Kairos Palestine
In December 2009, prominent Palestinian Christian leaders released a historical document, the KairosKairos
Kairos is an ancient Greek word meaning the right or opportune moment . The ancient Greeks had two words for time, chronos and kairos. While the former refers to chronological or sequential time, the latter signifies a time in between, a moment of indeterminate time in which something special...
Palestine Document, "A moment of truth." The document call echoes a similar summons issued by South African churches in the mid-1980s at the height of repression under the apartheid regime. That call served to galvanize churches and the wider public in a concerted effort that eventually brought the end of apartheid. Among the authors of the document are Patriarch Michel Sabah, Archbishop Attalah Hanna, Father Jamal Khader, Rev. Mitri Raheb, Rev. Naim Ateeq and Rifat Kassis who is the coordinator and chief spokesperson of the group.
The document declares the Israeli occupation of Palestine a "sin against God" and against humanity. It calls on churches and Christians all over the world to consider it and adopt it and to call for the boycott of Israel. Section 7 calls for “the beginning of a system of economic sanctions and boycott to be applied against Israel.” It states that isolation of Israel will cause pressure on Israel to abolish all of what it labels as "apartheid laws" that discriminate against Palestinians and non-Jews.
Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation
The Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation (HCEF) was founded in 1999 by an ecumenical group of American Christians to preserve the Christian presence in the Holy Land. HCEF stated goal is to attempt to continue the presence and well-being of Arab Christians in the Holy Land and to develop the bonds of solidarity between them and Christians elsewhere. HCEF offers material assistance to Palestinian Christians and to churches in the area. HCEF advocates for solidarity on the part of Western Christians with Christians in the Holy Land.Christians of Gaza
Gaza’s Christian community mostly lives within the city, especially in areas neighbouring the three main churches: Church of Saint PorphyriusChurch of Saint Porphyrius
The Church of Saint Porphyrius is the Orthodox Christian church of Gaza, and the oldest active church in the city...
, The Holy Family Catholic Church in Zeitoun Street, and the Gaza Baptist Church
Gaza Baptist Church
The Gaza Baptist Church is a Baptist church in Gaza City, Gaza, Palestinian Territories. The Church is one of only three Christian churches in the Gaza Strip, and the only one that is Protestant and evangelical....
, in addition to an Anglican chapel in the Al-Ahli Al-Arabi Arab Evangelical Hospital. Saint Porphyrius is an Orthodox Church that dates back to the 12th century. Gaza Baptist Church is the city’s only Evangelical Church; it lies close to the Legislative Council (parliamentary building). Christians in Gaza freely practice their religion. They also may observe all the religious holidays in accordance with the Christian calendars followed by their churches.
Those among them working as civil servants in the government and in the private sector are given an official holiday during the week, which some devote to communal prayer in churches. Christians are permitted to obtain any job, in addition to having their full rights and duties as their Muslim counterparts in accordance with the Palestinian Declaration of Independence, the regime, and all the systems prevailing over the territories. Moreover, seats have been allocated to Christian citizens in the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) in accordance with a quota system that allocates based on a significant Christian presence.
A census revealed that 40 percent of the Christian community worked in the medical, educational, engineering and law sectors. Additionally, the churches in Gaza are renowned for the relief and educational services that they offer, and Muslim citizens participate in these services. Palestinian citizens as a whole benefit from these services. The Latin Patriarchate School, for example, offers relief in the form of medication and social and educational services. The school has been offering services for nearly 150 years.
In 1974, the idea of establishing a new school was proposed by Father Jalil Awad, a former parish priest in Gaza who recognized the need to expand the Latin Patriarchate School and build a new complex. Today, the Holy family school has 1,250 students and the Roman Catholic primary school, which is an extension of the Latin Patriarchate School, continues to enroll a rising number of young students. The primary school was established approximately 20 years ago. Aside from education, other services are offered to Muslims and Christians alike with no discrimination. Services include women’s groups, students' groups and youth groups, such as those offered at the Baptist Church on weekdays.
International Christian Concern
International Christian Concern
International Christian Concern is a non-denominational, non-governmental, Christian watchdog group, located in Washington, DC, whose concern is the human rights of Christians...
reported that in October 2007, the Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
manager of the only Christian bookstore in the Gaza Strip was murdered, following the firebombing of his bookstore and his receipt of death threats from Muslim extremists angry at what they viewed to be his missionary activity.
Christian emigration
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, the United States and Canada, and a larger number to Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
with the most settling in Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
and Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. The Palestinian Authority is unable to keep exact tallies. As well, Muslim Palestinians have higher birth rates than the Christians, which strongly affects the demographics.
The causes of this Christian exodus are hotly debated, with various possibilities put forth. The vast majority of Palestinian Christians blame the exodus on Israel. Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
has reported that the emigrants left for better living standards rather than any other reason. The BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
has also blamed the economic decline in the Palestinian Territories as well as pressure from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for the exodus. A report on Bethlehem residents stated both Christians and Muslims wished to leave but the Christians possessed better contacts with people abroad and higher levels of education. The Vatican and the Catholic Church blamed the Israeli occupation and the conflict in the Holy Land for the Christian exodus from the Holy Land and the Middle East in general.
The Jerusalem Post
The Jerusalem Post
The Jerusalem Post is an Israeli daily English-language broadsheet newspaper, founded on December 1, 1932 by Gershon Agron as The Palestine Post. The daily readership numbers do not approach those of the major Hebrew newspapers....
(An Israeli newspaper) has stated that the "shrinking of the Palestinian Christian community in the Holy Land came as a direct result of its middle-class standards" and that Muslim pressure has not played a major role according to Christian residents themselves. It reported that the Christians have a public image of elitism and of class privilege as well as of non-violence and of open personalities, which leaves them more vulnerable to criminals than Muslims. Hanna Siniora, a prominent Christian Palestinian human rights activist, has attributed harassment against Christians to "little groups" of "hoodlums" rather than to the Hamas and Fatah governments.
According to a report in The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
, thousands of Christian Palestinians "emigrated to Latin America in the 1920s when Palestine was hit by drought and a severe economic depression."
Today, Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
houses the largest Palestinian Christian community in the world and Jordan has the second largest Palestinian Christian community outside of Palestine. Around 600,000 Palestinian Christians reside in Chile, most of whom were from Beit Jala
Beit Jala
Beit Jala is an Arab Christian town in the Bethlehem Governorate of the West Bank. Beit Jala is located 10 km south of Jerusalem, on the western side of the Hebron road, opposite Bethlehem, at altitude...
, Bethlehem, and Beit Sahur. Also, El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
, Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, and other Latin American countries have significant Palestinian Christian communities, some of whom immigrated almost a century ago during the time of Ottoman Palestine, but most of Christians were expelled from their homes in 1948 by Israel. During the 2008 Gaza War, Palestinian Christians in Chile demonstrated against the Israeli bombardment of Gaza. They were hoping to direct the government's attention to alter their relations with Israel. Latin America has a population of about 3 million Palestinian Christians or almost 40% of the Palestinian Christian population worldwide.
In a 2006 poll of Christians in Bethlehem by the Palestinian Centre for Research and Cultural Dialogue, 90% reported having Muslim friends, 73.3% agreed that the Palestinian Authority treats Christian heritage in the city with respect, and 78% attributed the ongoing exodus of Christians from Bethlehem to the Israeli occupation and travel restrictions on the area. Daniel Rossing, the Israeli Ministry of Religious Affairs' chief liaison to Christians in the 1970s and 1980s, has stated that the situations for them in Gaza became much worse after the election of Hamas. He also stated that the Palestinian Authority, which counts on Christian westerners for financial support, treats the minority fairly. He blamed the Israeli West Bank barrier
Israeli West Bank barrier
The Israeli West Bank barrier is a separation barrier being constructed by the State of Israel along and within the West Bank. Upon completion, the barrier’s total length will be approximately...
as the primary problem for the Christians.
The United States State Department's 2006 report on religious freedom criticized both Israel for its restrictions on travel to Christian holy sites and the Palestinian Authority for its failure to stamp out anti-Christian crime. It also reported that the former gives preferential treatment in basic civic services to Jews and the latter does so to Muslims. The report stated that, generally, ordinary Muslim and Christian citizens enjoy good relations in contrast to the "strained" Jewish and non-Jewish relations. A 2005 BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
report also described Muslim and Christian relations as "peaceful".
The Arab Human Rights Association, an Arab NGO in Israel, has stated that Israeli authorities have denied Palestinian Christians in Israel access to holy places, prevented repairs needed to preserve historic holy sites, and carried out physical attacks on religious leaders.
Notable Palestinian Christians
Beatified
- Blessed Marie-Alphonsine Danil GhattasMarie-Alphonsine Danil GhattasBlessed Marie-Alphonsine Danil Ghattas was a Palestinian Christian nun who was beatified by Pope Benedict XVI in 2009...
— founder of the Congregation of the Rosary Sisters, the only Arab religious order in the Holy Land to date
Monks
- Cosmas of Maiuma
- Dorotheus of GazaDorotheus of GazaDorotheus of Gaza or Abba Dorotheus was a Christian monk and abbot. He joined the monastery Abba Serid near Gaza through the influence of elders Barsanuphius and John. Around 540 he founded his own monastery nearby and became abbot there...
- Theodore of the JordanTheodore of the JordanSt. Theodore, a hermit blessed by God to serve his neighbour, is recorded to have lived in the sixth century.In his youth Theodore accepted the call from Christ to enter into the desert as a monk solitary...
- Sabbas the SanctifiedSabbas the SanctifiedSaint Sabbas the Sanctified , a Cappadocian-Greek monk, priest and saint, lived mainly in Palaestina Prima. He was the founder of several monasteries, most notably the one known as Mar Saba...
- Theophanes the BrandedTheophanes the BrandedTheophanes the Branded also called Theophanes Graptus or Theophanes of Nicea was a Byzantine monk and hymnographer.Next to Joseph the Hymnographer, Theophanes is the major contributor to the Orthodox liturgical book called the Paraklitiki .-Life:His Vita prima was recorded in the Life of Michael...
- Zosimas of PalestineZosimas of PalestineVenerable Zosimas of Palestine, also called Zosima, is commemorated as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine Catholic Churches on April 4....
Clergymen
- Munib YounanMunib YounanMunib Younan is the elected president of the Lutheran World Federation since 2010 and the Evangelical Lutheran Church Bishop of Palestine and Jordan in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land since 1998.- Education :...
— president of the Lutheran World FederationLutheran World FederationThe Lutheran World Federation is a global communion of national and regional Lutheran churches headquartered in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland. The federation was founded in the Swedish city of Lund in the aftermath of the Second World War in 1947 to coordinate the activities of the...
since 2010 and the Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Jerusalem, Palestine, Jordan and the Holy Land since 1998 - Archbishop Theodosios (Hanna) of SebastiaArchbishop Theodosios (Hanna) of SebastiaTheodosios of Sebastia is the Archbishop of Sebastia from the Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Ordained on the 24 December 2005 at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, he is the second Palestinian to hold the position of Archbishop in the history of the diocese.Born Atallah Hanna in Rameh in the...
— Bishop of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem - Michel SabbahMichel SabbahMichel Sabbah was the Archbishop and Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem from 1987 to 2008.Sabbah began his priestly studies at the Latin Patriarchal Seminary of Beit Jala in October 1949 and was ordained a priest for the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem in June 1955. He was a parish priest for a few...
— former Latin Patriarch of JerusalemLatin Patriarch of JerusalemThe Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem is the title possessed by the Latin Rite Catholic Archbishop of Jerusalem. The Archdiocese of Jerusalem has jurisdiction for all Latin Rite Catholics in Israel, the Palestinian Territories, Jordan and Cyprus...
(Roman Catholic) - Fouad TwalFouad TwalFouad Twal is the Roman Catholic archbishop and Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem since June 2008.He was ordained to the priesthood on 29 June 1966. After his ordination he was the vicar of Ramallah. In 1972 he entered the Pontifical Lateran University where he studied for a doctorate in canon law. ...
— Latin Patriarch of JerusalemLatin Patriarch of JerusalemThe Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem is the title possessed by the Latin Rite Catholic Archbishop of Jerusalem. The Archdiocese of Jerusalem has jurisdiction for all Latin Rite Catholics in Israel, the Palestinian Territories, Jordan and Cyprus...
(Roman Catholic) - Naim AteekNaim AteekThe Rev. Dr. Naim Stifan Ateek is a Palestinian Christian who is the founder and head of the Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center in Jerusalem. He went to school to the Nazareth Baptist school where he also taught after graduation...
— founder of SabeelSabeelSabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center is a Christian liberation theology organization based in Jerusalem. It was founded by Palestinian Anglican priest, Rev. Naim Ateek, the former Canon of St...
Christian Ecumenical Foundation - Mitri RahebMitri RahebMitri Raheb is a Palestinian Christian, the pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem , and the founder and president of the Diyar Consortium, a group of Lutheran-based, ecumenically-oriented institutions serving the Bethlehem area.-Background:Mitri Raheb was born in...
— pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem - Suheil Salman Ibrahim Dawani — the current Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem
- Elias ChacourElias ChacourElias Chacour is the Archbishop of Akko, Haifa, Nazareth and All Galilee of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church. Noted for his efforts to promote reconciliation between Arabs and Israelis, he is the author of two books about the experience of Palestinian people living in present-day Israel...
— Archbishop of Akko, Haifa, Nazareth and Galilee of the Melkite Eastern Catholic Church. - Riah Hanna Abu El-AssalRiah Hanna Abu El-AssalRiah Hanna Abu El-Assal is an Israeli Arab Anglican clergyman, who was Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem from 1998 to 2007.-History:He graduated from Nazareth Baptist school where he also taught...
— former Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem - Anis ShorroshAnis ShorroshAnis Shorrosh is a Palestinian Evangelical Christian, who has published many books and has debated with the late Ahmad Deedat.Shorrosh served as pastor and evangelist in the Middle East from 1959-1966. In September 1995, Dr.Shorrosh was guest lecturer at NCI Bible College, Auckland, New Zealand...
— Palestinian Evangelical Christian pastor - Benny HinnBenny HinnToufik Benedictus "Benny" Hinn הין; born December 3, 1952) is a televangelist, best known for his regular "Miracle Crusades" – revival meeting/faith healing summits that are usually held in large stadiums in major cities, which are later broadcast worldwide on his television program, This Is Your...
— televangelist - Patriarch Theophilos III of JerusalemPatriarch Theophilos III of JerusalemPatriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem is the current Patriarch of the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem...
- current Orthodox patriarch of JerusalemGreek Orthodox Patriarch of JerusalemThe Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem is the head bishop of the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem, ranking fourth of nine Patriarchs in the Eastern Orthodox Church. Since 2005, the Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem has been Theophilos III... - Boutros MouallemBoutros MouallemBoutros Pierre Mouallem is the retired Melkite Eastern Catholic archbishop of Acre, Haifa and the Galilee, in Israel. He was born in 1928 and consecrated eparch of Brazil on June 29, 1990. He is active in seeking interfaith reconciliation and for championing the rights of Palestinians. He also...
— retired Melkite Eastern Catholic Church archbishop of Acre, Haifa and the Galilee - Samir Kafity — prominent former Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem
- Salim MunayerMusalahaMusalaha is a non-profit organization that works towards reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians based on the Biblical principles of peace, justice, and love. The name Musalaha comes from the Arabic word for 'reconciliation'...
— the founder of Musalaha, a non-profit organization that works towards reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians based on the Biblical principles of peace, works mainly among Palestinian Evangelicals and Messianic Jews - Rev. Fahed Abu-Akel — was the 214th moderator of the General Assembly in the Presbyterian Church (USA)
- Patriarch Diodoros of JerusalemPatriarch Diodoros of JerusalemDiodoros or Diodorus ; Damianos G. Karivalis was the Patriarch of Jerusalem in the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem from 1981 to 2000....
- late Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem - Patriarch IrenaiosPatriarch IrenaiosIrenaios Skopelitis was the 140th patriarch of the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem from 2001 to 2005, though the dismissal was disputed...
- former Orthodox patriarch of Jerusalem - Torkom ManoogianTorkom ManoogianPatriarch Torkom Manoogian is the current Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem serving the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem as Archbishop under the authority of the Catholicos of Armenia and of all Armenians of the Armenian Apostolic Church...
- the current Patriarch of the Armenian Patriarchate of JerusalemArmenian Patriarchate of JerusalemThe Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem also known as the Armenian Patriarchate of St. James is located in the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem. The Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem remains under the authority of the Catholicos of Armenia and of all Armenians of the Armenian Apostolic Church...
Politicians
- Raymonda Tawil — poet, political activist, journalist, writer and the mother-in-law of the late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat
- Antonio SacaAntonio SacaElías Antonio Saca González is a Salvadoran politician and was the President of El Salvador. He was elected President in 2004 to serve a five-year term that ended in 2009....
— President of El Salvador from 2004 to 2009 - Justin AmashJustin AmashJustin Amash, , is an American attorney, politician, and member of Congress. He has been the U.S. Representative for which encompasses the Grand Rapids area, since 2011....
— a U.S. Representative for Michigan's 3rd congressional district which encompasses the Grand Rapids area, and a member of the Republican Party - Azmi BisharaAzmi BisharaAzmi Bishara , a former member of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, is a Palestinian intellectual, academic, politician, and writer.In 2007, Bishara fled Israel and resigned from the Knesset after being questioned by police on suspicion of aiding and passing information to the enemy during...
— Arab-Israeli politician - Janet MikhailJanet MikhailJanet Mikhail or Janet Michael, sometimes known as Janet Khouri is the mayor of Ramallah in the West Bank.She is the first woman to hold this post. She was head teacher of the girls' school in Ramallah for 20 years, now retired...
— the current mayor of Ramallah - Karim KhalafKarim KhalafKarim Hanna Sama'an Khalaf was a Palestinian attorney and politician who served as the Mayor of Ramallah from 1972 to 1982.-Early life and career:...
— attorney and politician who served as the Mayor of Ramallah, but was removed from office in 1982 by Israel - Victor BatarsehVictor BatarsehVictor Batarseh is the mayor of Bethlehem in the West Bank in the occupied Palestinian territories, elected in 2005. He was elected as the candidate of the Bethlehem Brotherhood and Development bloc...
— mayor of Bethlehem - Elias BandakElias BandakElias 'Issa Bandak was the mayor of Bethlehem from 1951-52, 1953-57, and from 1963-72, serving three separate terms. He succeeded his cousin Issa Basil Bandak. Bandak is a Palestinian Christian....
— the former mayor of Bethlehem - Hanna NasserHanna NasserHanna Nasser was the mayor of Bethlehem from 1997 to 2005, being succeeded by Victor Batarseh. Nasser is a Palestinian Christian.-External links:* BBC News...
— the former mayor of Bethlehem - Elias FreijElias FreijElias Mitri Freij , a Palestinian Christian, who follow the Orthodox Christian church of Jerusalem, was mayor of Bethlehem from 1972-1997....
— the mayor former of Bethlehem - Emil Habibi — politician born in British-mandate Palestine, leader of the Israel Communist Party and Member of the Israeli Knesset
- Ameer MakhoulAmeer MakhoulAmeer Makhoul is a Palestinian Christian Arab citizen of Israel and the director of the Haifa-based Ittijah, the Union of Arab Community-Based Associations, a network for Palestinian NGOs founded in 1995 in Israel...
— the founder of the Haifa-based IttijahIttijahIttijah or "Union of Arab Community-Based Associations" is a network for Palestinian non-governmental organizations founded in 1995 in Israel...
(the Union of Arab Community-Based Associations, a network for Palestinian NGOs in Israel), who is currently jailed in Israel, after some claims for spying on behalf of Hezbollah. Amnesty InternationalAmnesty InternationalAmnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
expressed concern that "his human rights activism on behalf of Palestinians" may be the reason for his imprisonment. - George HabashGeorge HabashGeorge Habash also known by his laqab "al-Hakim" was a Palestinian nationalist. Habash, a Palestinian Christian, founded the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which pioneered the hijacking of airplanes as a Middle East militant tactic...
— Politician, founder of the PFLPPopular Front for the Liberation of PalestineThe Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine is a Palestinian Marxist-Leninist organisation founded in 1967. It has consistently been the second-largest of the groups forming the Palestine Liberation Organization , the largest being Fatah...
and the Arab Nationalist MovementArab Nationalist MovementThe Arab Nationalist Movement , also known as the Movement of Arab Nationalists and the Harakiyyin, was a pan-Arab nationalist organization influential in much of the Arab world, most famously so within the Palestinian movement.-Origins & Ideology:The Arab Nationalist Movement had its origins in a... - Nayif Hawatmeh — Palestinian politician, founder and General Secretary of the DFLPDemocratic Front for the Liberation of PalestineThe Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine is a Palestinian Marxist-Leninist, secular political and military organization. It is also frequently referred to as the Democratic Front, or al-Jabha al-Dimuqratiyah...
- Dr. Hanan AshrawiHanan AshrawiHanan Daoud Khalil Ashrawi is a Palestinian legislator, activist, and scholar. She was a protégé and later colleague and close friend of Edward Said. Ashrawi was an important leader during the First Intifada, served as the official spokesperson for the Palestinian Delegation to the Middle East...
— politician, legislator, activist, and scholar. Currently, she is a leader of the Third Way party. She was previously notable as a spokesperson for ArafatYasser ArafatMohammed Yasser Abdel Rahman Abdel Raouf Arafat al-Qudwa al-Husseini , popularly known as Yasser Arafat or by his kunya Abu Ammar , was a Palestinian leader and a Laureate of the Nobel Prize. He was Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization , President of the Palestinian National Authority...
. - Afif SafiehAfif SafiehAfif Safieh is a Palestinian diplomat. He was most recently the Palestinian ambassador to the Russian Federation.Safieh was born in Jerusalem in 1950 to a Christian family. As a child, he attended school in Jerusalem's College Des Frères. In 1972, he obtained a degree in Political Science and...
— diplomat and currently Palestinian ambassador to the Russian Federation - Jawad Bolous — political lawyer
- Joudeh George MurqosJoudeh George MurqosJoudeh George Murqos was a the Palestinian minister of tourism in the Hamas lead Palestinian National Authority government . He was the only Christian minister of the government.-References:...
— ex-Palestinian minister of tourism - Ghazi HananiaGhazi HananiaGhazi Hanania is a Christian member of the Palestinian Legislative Council. He is a member of Fatah.He was Fatah's candidate for mayor of Ramallah, but lost to Janet Mikhail....
— member of the Palestinian Legislative Council and Fatah - Emil GhuriEmil GhuriEmil Ghuri , a Palestinian Christian, was Secretary of the Arab Higher Committee , the official leadership of the Arabs in the British Mandate of Palestine...
— the former Secretary of the Arab Higher Committee (AHC), the official leadership of the Arabs in the British Mandate of Palestine. He was also the general secretary of the Palestine Arab Party - Hanna Nasser (academic) — academic, political figure and ex-president of Birzeit University
- Ghassan AndoniGhassan AndoniGhassan Andoni is a native of Beit Sahour in the Bethlehem area. He is a professor of physics at Bir Zeit University, and a Palestinian Christian leader who advocates nonviolent resistance in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict...
— a professor of physics at Birzeit University, co-founder of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) and founder of the International Middle East Media Centre - Daud TurkiDaud TurkiDaud Turki |kunya]] أبو عائدة Abu Aida the father of Aida ) , was a Palestinian-Arab poet, living in Haifa, Israel. He was the leader of the Jewish-Arab left-wing group called the Red Front, which was an anti-Zionist group...
— poet and was the leader of the Jewish-Arab left-wing group called the Red Front - Imil JarjouiImil JarjouiImil Musa Basil Jarjoui, MD , a Palestinian Christian who was a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council and the PLO executive committee. Dr...
— former member of the Palestinian Legislative Council and the PLO executive committee - Huwaida ArrafHuwaida ArrafHuwaida Arraf is a Palestinian Christian human rights activist, lawyer and co-founder of the International Solidarity Movement , a Palestinian-led organization focused on assisting the Palestinian side of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict using non-violent protests...
— rights activist and co-founder of the International Solidarity MovementInternational Solidarity MovementThe International Solidarity Movement is an organization focused on assisting the Palestinian cause in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict using nonviolent protests. It was founded in 2001 by Ghassan Andoni, a Palestinian activist; Neta Golan, an Israeli activist; Huwaida Arraf, a...
(ISM) - Michael TaraziMichael TaraziMichael Tarazi is a Palestinian-American lawyer and former adviser to the Palestine Liberation Organization. Since 2008, Tarazi has worked for the government and policy team of the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor , an organization that promotes microfinance.- Biography :Tarazi was born in the...
— lawyer and former adviser to the Palestine Liberation Organization - Kamal NasserKamal NasserKamal Nasser was a Palestinian PLO political leader, writer and poet.-Early life:Nasser was born in Gaza to a Palestinian Christian family from Bir Zeit near Ramallah. He was educated at Bir Zeit school Kamal Nasser (1925 – April 9/April 10, 1973) was a Palestinian PLO political leader, writer and...
— PLO political leader, writer and poet
Cultural figures
- Edward SaidEdward SaidEdward Wadie Saïd was a Palestinian-American literary theorist and advocate for Palestinian rights. He was University Professor of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University and a founding figure in postcolonialism...
— Palestinian literary theorist, cultural critic, political activist - Rosemarie Said ZahlanRosemarie Said ZahlanRosemarie Said Zahlan was a Palestinian-US Christian historian and writer on the Persian Gulf states. She was a sister of Edward Said...
— historian and writer - George AntoniusGeorge AntoniusGeorge Habib Antonius, CBE was a Lebanese-Egyptian author and diplomat, settled in Palestine, one of the first historians of Arab nationalism. Born in Deir al Qamar in a Lebanese Orthodox Christian family, he served in the British Mandate of Palestine. His 1938 book The Arab Awakening was...
— founder of modern Arab nationalist history - Khalil BeidasKhalil BeidasKhalil Beidas was a Palestinian Christian scholar, educator, translator and novelist...
— scholar, educator, translator and novelist during the Al-NahdaAl-NahdaAl-Nahda was a cultural renaissance that began in the late 19th century and early 20th century in Egypt, then later moving to Ottoman-ruled Arabic-speaking regions including Lebanon, Syria and others...
cultural renaissance - Khalil al-SakakiniKhalil al-SakakiniKhalil al-Sakakini was a Palestinian Christian, Arab Orthodox, educator, scholar, poet, and Arab nationalist.-Early life:Khalil Sakakini was born into an Arab Christian family in Jerusalem on January 23, 1878...
— educator, scholar, poet, and Arab nationalist during the Al-NahdaAl-NahdaAl-Nahda was a cultural renaissance that began in the late 19th century and early 20th century in Egypt, then later moving to Ottoman-ruled Arabic-speaking regions including Lebanon, Syria and others...
cultural renaissance - Tawfiq CanaanTawfiq CanaanTawfiq Canaan was a pioneering physician, medical researcher, ethnographer and Palestinian nationalist. Born in Beit Jala during the rule of the Ottoman Empire, he served as a medical officer in the Ottoman army during World War I...
— physician, researcher of Palestinian popular heritage - May ZiadeMay ZiadeMay Ziade , was a prolific Christian Lebanese-Palestinian poet, essayist and translator....
— poet, essayist and translator during the Al-NahdaAl-NahdaAl-Nahda was a cultural renaissance that began in the late 19th century and early 20th century in Egypt, then later moving to Ottoman-ruled Arabic-speaking regions including Lebanon, Syria and others...
cultural renaissance - Anton ShammasAnton Shammas-Biography:Anton Shammas was one of six children born to Hanna Shammas, a Palestinian Christian barber and shoemaker,and a Lebanese mother who moved to Fassuta in 1936 to teach French at the local girls' school...
— writer and translator - Elia SuleimanElia SuleimanElia Suleiman , is a Palestinian film director and actor. He is best known for the 2002 film Divine Intervention , a modern tragic comedy on living under occupation in Palestine which won the Jury Prize at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival...
— Palestinian film maker and actor - Raja ShehadehRaja ShehadehRaja Shehadeh is a Palestinian lawyer and writer who lives in Ramallah, West Bank.-Biography:Raja Shehadeh studied law in London. His grandfather, Saleem, was a judge in the courts of the British Mandate of Palestine...
— lawyer and writer - Rifat Odeh KassisRifat Odeh KassisRifat Odeh Kassis is a Palestinian Christian was born in Beit Sahour, in the West Bank. An active human rights and political and community activist, he was arrested and imprisoned several times by Israel....
— human rights activist - George SalibaGeorge SalibaGeorge Saliba is Professor of Arabic and Islamic Science at the Department of Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies, Columbia University, New York, United States, where he has been working since 1979....
— Professor of Arabic and Islamic Science at the Department of Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies, Columbia University, New York, United States - Rami George KhouriRami George KhouriRami George Khouri born 22 October 1948, in New York City to an Arab Palestinian Christian family. His father, George Khouri, a Nazarene journalist in what was the British mandate of Palestine had traveled with his wife to New York in 1947 to cover the United Nations debates about the future of...
— journalist and editor - Hisham ZreiqHisham ZreiqHisham Zreiq , also spelled Zrake, is an award-winning Palestinian Christian Independent film maker, poet and visual artist. He began working in computer art in 1994, and in 1996 started exhibiting his work in galleries and museums....
— an award-winning independent film maker, poet and visual artist - Ray HananiaRay HananiaRay Hanania is an Arab-American Palestinian Christian journalist also known for his stand-up comedy. Hanania writes a syndicated column with a particular focus on the Middle East, and after the September 11 attacks, created Comedians of Middle East conflict, a comedy act with the hope of defusing...
— Palestinian-American journalist also known for his stand-up comedy - Joseph MassadJoseph MassadJoseph Andoni Massad is Associate Professor of Modern Arab Politics and Intellectual History in the Department of Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies at Columbia University, whose academic work has focused on Palestinian, Jordanian, and Israeli nationalism...
— an Associate Professor of Modern Arab Politics and Intellectual History in the Department of Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies at Columbia University - Rim BannaRim BannaRim Banna is a Israeli Arab singer, composer, and arranger and an activist, who is well-known for her modern interpretations of the Palestinian Arab songs. Banna was born in Nazareth, Israel, where she graduated from Nazareth Baptist School...
— singer, composer, and arranger who is well-known for her modern interpretations of traditional Palestinian folk songs - Amal MurkusAmal MurkusAmal Murkus is a Palestinian Christian singer living in Israel. Her post-modern music style has a variety of Mediterranean influences. Her first album, Amal, was released in 1998, and her second, Shauq, in 2004...
— singer - Anton ShammasAnton Shammas-Biography:Anton Shammas was one of six children born to Hanna Shammas, a Palestinian Christian barber and shoemaker,and a Lebanese mother who moved to Fassuta in 1936 to teach French at the local girls' school...
— an essayist, writer of fiction and poetry and translator - Fady AndraosFady AndraosFady Andraos is a Palestinian singer and actor. He was born and raised in Lebanon.-Biography:Andraos' first television appearance was on the Arab edition of the Star Academy reality show in 2005. Lebanese actor/writer George Khabbaz offered Andraos the lead role in a Lebanese sitcom called Fady w...
— singer and actor - Karl SabbaghKarl SabbaghKarl Sabbagh is a Palestinian-British writer, journalist and television producer. His work is mainly non-fiction: he has written books about historical events and produced documentaries for both British and American broadcasters....
— Palestinian-British writer, journalist and television producer - Sabri JiryisSabri JiryisSabri Jiryis is a Palestinian-Arab Israeli writer and lawyer, a graduate of the Hebrew University law faculty, and prominent Palestinian activist. In 1966 the first edition of his book The Arabs in Israel was published in Hebrew.- Arrest in Israel :He was given an "Administrative House Arrest"...
— writer and lawyer - Leila SansourLeila SansourLeila Sansour is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Open Bethlehem, a non-governmental foundation established to promote and protect the life and heritage of the city of Bethlehem. Sansour developed the Bethlehem Passport in partnership with the city council and governor of Bethlehem...
— film director - Makram KhouryMakram KhouryMakram J. Khoury is an Israeli Arab, born 30 May 1945 in Jerusalem. He was the youngest artist and the first Arab to win the Israel Prize, the highest civic honor in Israel. He is one of the most accomplished and well-known Israeli Arab actors.Today, Makram is active in films, on the stage, and on...
— actor - Clara KhouryClara KhouryClara Khoury is an Israeli - Palestinian actress.Clara works in film, television and theater, acting in Arabic, Hebrew, English and French.- Biography :...
— actress
Other
- Yousef BeidasYousef BeidasYousef Beidas was a Palestinian Lebanese banker...
— founder of Intra BankIntra BankIntra Bank was a Lebanese bank, and the largest financial institution in the Middle East until its collapse in 1966.-Foundation and Rise of the Bank:... - Hind KhouryHind KhouryHind Khoury is a Palestinian Christian who was the delegate general of the Palestine Liberation Organization in France, from March 2006 until May 2010.-References:...
— Palestinian Delegate-General to France - Sirhan SirhanSirhan SirhanSirhan Bishara Sirhan is a Jordanian citizen who was convicted for the assassination of United States Senator Robert F. Kennedy. He is serving a life sentence at Pleasant Valley State Prison in Coalinga, California.Sirhan was a Christian Arab born in Jerusalem who strongly opposed Israel...
— assassin of United States Senator Robert F. KennedyRobert F. KennedyRobert Francis "Bobby" Kennedy , also referred to by his initials RFK, was an American politician, a Democratic senator from New York, and a noted civil rights activist. An icon of modern American liberalism and member of the Kennedy family, he was a younger brother of President John F... - Chris Bandak — Palestinian Christian militant and a leader of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' BrigadesAl-Aqsa Martyrs' BrigadesThe al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades is a coalition of Palestinian nationalist militias in the West Bank. The group's name refers to the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem...
and the TanzimTanzimTanzim is a militant faction of the Palestinian Fatah movement.-Overview:The Tanzim militia, founded in 1995 to counter Palestinian Islamism, is widely considered to be an armed offshoot of Fatah with its own leadership structure...
, both resistance wings of the FatahFatahFataḥ is a major Palestinian political party and the largest faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization , a multi-party confederation. In Palestinian politics it is on the left-wing of the spectrum; it is mainly nationalist, although not predominantly socialist. Its official goals are found...
movement, currently prisoned in Israel - Hanna SinioraHanna SinioraHanna Siniora is a Palestinian Christian who lives in East Jerusalem. He is the publisher of The Jerusalem Times and a co-Chief Executive Officer of the Israel/Palestine Center for Research and Information...
— publisher and human rights activist - Sumaya Farhat NaserSumaya Farhat NaserSumaya Farhat Naser is a Palestinian Christian peace activist in the West Bank.She attended Talitha Kumi, a boarding school in Beit Jala which was founded by Lutheran deaconesses in the 19th century...
— peace activist - Elinor JosephElinor JosephElinor Joseph is an Israeli soldier who has served with the Caracal Battalion of the Israel Defense Forces since 2010. She is the first Arab woman ever to serve in a combat role in the Israeli army.-Background:...
— First female Arab-Israeli combat soldierSoldierA soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
in the Israel Defense ForcesIsrael Defense ForcesThe Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel... - Said Khoury — entrepreneur and businessman
- Zahi KhouriZahi KhouriZahi Khouri is a Palestinian-American businessman and entrepreneur, who is best known for his involvement in numerous business ventures in the Palestinian territories....
— Palestinian-American businessman and entrepreneur - Mubarak AwadMubarak AwadMubarak Awad is a Palestinian-American psychologist and an advocate of nonviolent resistance.-Early life and move to the United States:Awad, a Palestinian Christian , was born in 1943 in Jerusalem when it was under the British Mandate...
— Palestinian-American psychologist and an advocate of nonviolent resistance - Sami Awad -- Palestinian-American peace activist
- Alex OdehAlex OdehAlex Odeh was an Arab-American anti-discrimination activist who was killed in a bombing as he opened the door of his office at 1905 East 17th Street, Santa Ana, California...
— Palestinian-American anti-discrimination activist - Khalil JahshanKhalil JahshanKhalil Jahshan is a Palestinian-American Lecturer in International Studies and Languages at Pepperdine University and Executive Director of its Seaver College Washington DC Internship Program...
— Lecturer in International Studies and Languages at Pepperdine University and Executive Director of its Seaver College Washington DC Internship Program - Salim Joubran - Justice on the Supreme Court
- Mira AwadMira AwadMīrā ’Anwar ‘Awaḍ is an Israeli Arab singer, actress, and songwriter.‘Awaḍ lives in Tel Aviv, Israel. In 2009, she was chosen to represent Israel at the Eurovision Song Contest along with Jewish-Israeli singer Achinoam Nini, singing the song There Must Be Another Way. She was the first Arab to...
- singer, actress and songwriter - Hasib SabbaghHasib SabbaghHasib Sabbagh, also spelled Hassib , came from a Palestinian Christian family in Safed in Palestine, although he was born in Tiberias...
— entrepreneur and businessman - Ghada KarmiGhada KarmiGhada Karmi is a Palestinian doctor of medicine, author and academic. She writes frequently on Palestinian issues in newspapers and magazines, including The Guardian, The Nation and Journal of Palestine Studies...
— doctor of medicine, author and academic - Huda Naccache - "first Arab modelModel (person)A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
to appear on the cover of an Arabic magazine in a bikiniBikiniThe bikini is typically a women's two-piece swimsuit. One part of the attire covers the breasts and the other part covers the crotch and part of or the entire buttocks, leaving an uncovered area between the two. Merriam–Webster describes the bikini as "a woman's scanty two-piece bathing suit" or "a...
;" Israel's representative to the Miss EarthMiss EarthMiss Earth is an annual international beauty pageant promoting environmental awareness. Miss Earth is also one of the most publicized beauty contests in the world....
beauty pageant in Thailand in December 2011. - Dr. Wadie HaddadWadie HaddadWadie Haddad , also known as Abu Hani, was a Palestinian doctor of medicine and the leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine's armed wing...
— was a member and the leader of the national resistance wing of the Popular Front for the Liberation of PalestinePopular Front for the Liberation of PalestineThe Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine is a Palestinian Marxist-Leninist organisation founded in 1967. It has consistently been the second-largest of the groups forming the Palestine Liberation Organization , the largest being Fatah...
(PFLP), who was allegedly killed by Israel - Roberto BisharaRoberto BisharaRoberto Bishara is a naturalized Palestinian football defender. He currently plays for Palestino in the Chilean First Division. In the national team, he usually plays left back although he can also play central back.Bishara is a Palestinian Christian .- External links :*...
— Palestinian football defender - Michel ShehadehMichel ShehadehMichel Shehadeh born in 1956, in Amman, Jordan), to a Palestinian Christians family, is the Palestinian-American executive director of the Arab Film Festival and the former Western Regional director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee .The Palestinian raised Shehadeh relocated to the...
- Palestinian-American, Member of the Los Angeles 8
Further Reading
- Morris, Benny, 1948: A History of the First Arab-Israeli War, (2009) Yale University Press. ISBN 9780300151121
- Reiter, Yitzhak, National Minority, Regional Majority: Palestinian Arabs Versus Jews in Israel (Syracuse Studies on Peace and Conflict Resolution), (2009) Syracuse Univ Press (Sd). ISBN 9780815632306
External links
- Israeli Crimes against Christian Palestinians. By the Jerusalem Forum.
- Middle East Christians: Gaza pastor (Interview with Hanna Massad). BBC NewsBBC NewsBBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
. Published 21 December 2005. - Christians in the Middle East - 11 May 09 - Part 1 - Riz Khan at Al Jazeera English
- Christians in the Middle East - 11 May 09 - Part 2 - Riz Khan at Al Jazeera English
- Bethlehem University
- "What is it like to be a Palestinian Christian?" at Beliefnet.com
- Religion in the news - Israelis and Palestinians
- Hard Time in the House of Bread
- Al-Bushra (an Arab-American Catholic perspective)
- Palstinin Christians: Challenges and hopes by Bernard Sabella
- Salt of the Earth: Palestinian Christians in the Northern West Bank, a documentary film series
- The World Council of Churches: What Does It Really Care about Palestinian Christians? by Malcolm F. Lowe, March 2011