Tag Archive for Israeli Christians

| December 11, 2015
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Greek Orthodox Priest to European Parliament: EU Boycotts Israel, Christians’ Safe Haven

 

Father Gabriel Naddaf, a spokesman for the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem informs European Parliamentarians, ‘In the Middle East there is only one country, just one where Christians can live in security – and that’s Israel’

By David Lazarus

 

The speaker was Gabriel Naddaf, a spokesman for the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem and spiritual leader of the Nazareth-based movement encouraging young Arabic-speaking Christians to join the Israel Defense Forces.

PM Netanyahu meets Gabriel Nadaf, Aug. 2013 – Reuters

Naddaf was standing before the European Parliament for an emergency session on the recent limitations being imposed on Israeli produce in European markets. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , , , ,
| July 24, 2015
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#BDSfail: Christian group in Israel confronts BDS with pragmatic guide

The Christian Empowerment Council’s new guide, written by Father Gabriel Naddaf, seeks to assist Christians the world over better understand the significance of anti-Zionism.

By JNS.ORG

 

The Christian Empowerment Council, an Israeli Christian group headed by Father Gabriel Naddaf, has released a new guide to help Christians better understand the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.

Father Gabriel Naddaf. – Photo: FACEBOOK

The 12-page guide—titled “Test The Spirits: A Christian Guide to the Anti-Israel Boycott Movement”—seeks to challenge Christian anti-Zionism “on an ideological level” following the “recent discussions concerning BDS in global churches,” including in the Mennonite Church, the Episcopalian Church, and the United Church of Christ.

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Category: Israel News | Tags: , , , ,
| March 22, 2015
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Greek Orthodox priest applauds Netanyahu election win, urges continued coexistence

Father Gabriel Nadaf, the spiritual leader of the Israeli Christian Recruitment Forum writes in his congratulatory letter, “The incorporation of [Christians] is the key to partnership between segments of Israeli society, co-existence and showing Israel’s beautiful side to the world.”

By Daniel Siryoti & Israel Hayom Staff

 

Father Gabriel Nadaf, a Greek Orthodox priest and one of the leaders of the Christian Aramean community in Israel, congratulated Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on his election victory over the weekend.

Father Gabriel Nadaf: I’m sure new government “will work to incorporate the Christian community in society and the state” – Photo: Contact

Nadaf, the spiritual leader of the Israeli Christian Recruitment Forum, which works to encourage young Christians to serve in the military, wrote in a letter to Netanyahu that he was sure the new government would “work to incorporate the Christian community in society and the state.”

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Category: Israel News | Tags: ,
| March 20, 2015
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Israeli Christians: Decades of “Living a Lie” are Over

Father Naddaf explained that he “understands that it is essential to connect Christian Arabs to Israel & the Jews.” Israeli Arab (Muslim) leadership, he said, “has fooled us into living a lie. They call Israel an apartheid state.”

By Yossi Aloni

 

The National Zionist Congress for Youth convened last week to discuss the phenomenon of emigration from the Land of Israel. On what turned out to be a fascinating panel were Mia Morano, widow of IDF special forces officer Emanuel Moreno who was killed in the Second Lebanon War, Israeli priest Father Gabriel Naddaf and IDF Major Elias Karam, the first Arab Christian to join the naval officers’ school.
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Category: Israel News | Tags: , , , ,
| March 2, 2015
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Christian Soldiers Proud to Defend Israel

 

Watching the ISIS brutality in Syria brought upon the non-Muslims, the young Israeli Christians say this is why they willingly & happily serve in the IDF to defend the Jewish State.

By Ryan Jones

 

News has been swirling that ISIS is again on the rampage against Christians in Iraq and Syria.

Father Gabriel Naddaf, spiritual leader of the Israeli Christian Recruitment Forum, joins several young Arabic-speaking Aramean Christians as they are inducted into the Israel Defense Forces.

Reports indicate that no fewer than 35 Assyrian Christian villages have been targeted in northeastern Syria in recent weeks. Most of these villages are now empty of inhabitants.

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Category: Israel News | Tags: , , ,
| February 25, 2015
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Many Israeli Arab & Christian Voters Seek Integration With Jewish State

Interesting interview with leader of newly formed Arab party, that contrary to the United Arab List, hopes to enter Israel’s Knesset & promote integration with Jewish society.

By Tsvi Sadan

 

The amount of nonsense Israelis are subjected to as election campaigns heat up is diverting attention the new United Arab List that poses a serious problem for the Jewish state.

Mahmoud Nujidat, a pro-Israel Arab advocate – Israel Today

The list is a merger of four Israeli Arab Knesset factions that run the gamut from communists to extreme Islamists. If this list wins the 12 seats surveys say it will win, the Knesset will play host to a powerful political faction that takes order and money from Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas.

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Category: Israel News | Tags: , , ,
| February 19, 2015
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Israeli Christians Urged to Vote in March Elections

 

A leading Christian figure, Shadi Khalloul, has even become a candidate for the Knesset with Yisrael Beiteinu, a top right-wing Zionist party.

By Israel Today Staff

 

Christian leaders in the Holy Land are urging their constituents to get involved in Israel’s upcoming national elections. And the call is being answered, with some going so far as to become candidates for Knesset themselves.

The Assembly of the Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land under Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Fouad Twal issued a statement this week encouraging local Christians to help improve the situation and make a positive impact on the Middle East conflict by exercising their right to vote in Israel. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , ,
| January 6, 2015
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Israel’s Loyal Christians Featured in Wall Street Journal Essay

 

 

Mainstream media increasingly noticing trend among Israel’s Christians joining the IDF and wanting to integrate into Israeli society.

By Israel Today Staff

 

As Israel’s former ambassador to the US, Michael Oren, stated on several occasions, Israel has proved to be the one place in the Middle East where Christians can not only live without persecution, but can actually thrive.

Christians Love Israel – Photo: .thepeoplesvoice

It is no secret to the readers of Israel Today that a growing number of Israeli Christians, in particular a large group from Nazareth, are responding by volunteering to serve in the IDF and fully integrating with Israeli society as loyal and productive citizens. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , ,
| December 16, 2014
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Israel’s PM Salutes Christian IDF Soldiers, Proclaiming ‘We Are Brothers!’

Netanyahu attends pre-Christmas gathering in Nazareth, thanking the local Christians for seeking to bind their future to that of Israel’s.

By Ryan Jones

 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday told a pre-Christmas gathering of Christians in Nazareth that they and the Jews are brothers, and that Israel will never cease to defend Christians against the forces that seek to harm and destroy them.

PM Netanyahu meets Gabriel Nadaf, Aug. 2013 – Reuters

The gathering was organized by the Israeli Christian Recruitment Forum, whose spiritual leader, Father Gabriel Naddaf, was singled out repeatedly by Netanyahu for his untiring efforts to encourage young Christians to join the Israeli army and fully integrate with Israeli society.

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Category: Israel News | Tags: , , ,
| December 10, 2014
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What happens to Christians under the proposed ‘Jewish State Bill’ ?

 

 

Minority religious groups are worried about the impact of the proposed Jewish State bill. But the proposed legislation seeks to only place in law Israel’s ‘Jewishness’, that’s already being practiced.

By ARIEL COHEN

 

Christians in Israel are debating whether the proposed “Jewish State” bill will weaken Israel’s democracy by marginalizing minority religious groups, or whether it will strengthen the Holy Land as a unified state.

Christians in Jerusalem

A Christian woman outside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. – Photo: ARIEL COHEN

The “Jewish State” bill legally defines Israel as “the nation-state of the Jewish people,” and reinforces the use of “Hatikva” as the national anthem, state symbols, use of the Hebrew calendar and the Law of Return. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , , ,
| November 22, 2014
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Nazareth Priest: In Israel, Christians Have Education, Employment, Welfare, Healthcare – Freedom

Father Gabriel Naddaf of Nazareth continues in his efforts to educate the world that only in Israel, Christians of the Middle East can find peace.

By Israel Today Staff

 

Father Gabriel Naddaf, a Nazareth-based Greek Orthodox Christian priest of Aramean background, has become a symbol and vocal witness of the situation for Christians in Israel, and how that differs from the way Christians are treated everywhere else in the Middle East.

Speaking before US congressional leaders in Washington, DC this week, Father Naddaf explained:

“In the Middle East today, there is one country where Christians are affectionately granted freedom of expression, freedom of worship and security.

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Category: The Diaspora | Tags: , , ,
| November 11, 2014
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Israel Population registry recognizes ‘Aramaics’ as authentic ethnic Christian group

Muslims that refer to themselves as ‘Palestinians’ accuse Israel gov’t of trying to split Arab population by no longer classifying the Aramaic Christian group as ‘Arabs’.

By Reuters

 

In the green hills of the Galilee, where Jesus is said to have preached two thousand years ago, a group of Aramaic speakers looking to revive the language of Christ are celebrating a victory in their quest to safeguard their heritage.

Shadi Khalloul, head of Aramaic Society in Israel. (Photo: Uri Davidovich, Assi Cohen)

Shadi Khalloul, head of Aramaic Society in Israel. – Photo: Uri Davidovich, Assi Cohen

In a place where tensions run high on issues of ethnicity, faith and citizenship, members of the Christian sect have won the right to change their designation in the population registry from “Arab” to a newly-created ethnic classification: “Aramaic.” Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: ,
| October 21, 2014
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Modern History: 1st Christian Israeli Child Registered as ‘Aramean’ not ‘Arab’

2 yr-old Yaakov Khalloul becomes 1st Israeli Christian to be officially registered as Aramean. “Finally, after 1,400 years of the Middle East being occupied and controlled by different forces, the Jews come along and recognize us.” says father.

By Ryan Jones

 

Yaakov Khalloul, a two-year-old Christian child from the Galilee, made history on Monday when he became the first person in Israel’s modern history to be officially registered as an Aramean.

Shadi Khalloul – Israel Today

To date, all Christians in Israel have been registered with population authorities as Arabs, given that for most, their mother tongue is Arabic. But last month, outgoing Interior Minister Gideon Sa’ar issued a directive permitting local Christians to now be voluntarily registered according to a more ancient ancestry.

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Category: Israel News | Tags: , , ,
| October 7, 2014
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Christian Priest calls out UN: Instead of Witch Hunt Against Israel, Save Mid-East Christians

Nazareth-based priest tells UN Human Rights Committee that they’re ignoring genocide of their faith by only criticizing Israel, which actually is only safe place for Christians in Middle East.

By Ryan Jones

 

While Middle East Muslim leaders were gathered at UN Headquarters in New York late last month to lambast Israel, a local Christian cleric was addressing a different UN forum – the Human Rights Committee in Geneva – to set the record straight on freedom for minorities in the Jewish state.

Contrary to US, EU & UN opinions, Jerusalem is not a ‘settlement’

 

“Every five minutes, a Christian is killed in the Middle East because of his faith,” noted Father Gabriel Naddaf before a largely unsympathetic audience. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , ,
| September 17, 2014
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Israel’s Interior Ministry officially recognizes ‘Aramean’ as nationality

 

Shadi Halul, the Aramean-Christian community leader responds,“It’s a historic decision … proof that Israel protects its citizens & identity of its minorities, unlike all the Arab nations around us,” 

By Yori Yalon

 

Interior Minister Gideon Sa’ar on Tuesday approved having “Aramean” as a nationality on Israeli identification cards, a move warmly received by Israel’s Christian-Aramean community.

Aramean-Christian community leader Shadi Halul – Photo: YouTube

In a letter written to Population Authority chairman Amnon Ben-Ami, Sa’ar said that after receiving an appeal on the matter, he heard the recommendations of three experts from three different academic institutions, who said the Supreme Court had found that “the Aramean nationality clearly exists, and has the conditions required to prove its existence, including historical heritage, religion, culture, origin and common language.”

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