Tag Archive for Israeli Christians

| August 1, 2014
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Christian Spokesman: Calling on Israel to Stop Combating Terror Is Epitome of Hypocrisy

Israeli Christians says ‘Enough With Western Hypocrisy!’  The West should be supporting IDF for being the only army to oppose Islamic terror and protecting Christians in the Middle East.

By Israel Today Staff

 

Yesterday, we reported on a demonstration by Israeli Christians in solidarity with their persecuted Christian brothers and sisters in Iraq, and in support of the Israeli army that is now combating the same type of Muslim extremism in Gaza.
Israeli Christian Spoaksman, Shadi Khalloul - Photo source: Israel Today
Israeli Christian Spoaksman, Shadi Khalloul – Photo source: Israel Today

Following the demonstration, the spokesman for the Israeli Christian Recruitment Forum, which advocates young Christians join the IDF and which organized Sunday’s rally, made a powerful plea in an interview with Israel’s Channel One.

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| May 28, 2014
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Israeli Christians Ask Israel to Rebuild its 1948 Village

 

Israel’s Maronite Christians hope to exploit the Pope’s visit to spark revival of their ancient Galilee village.

By Ryan Jones

 

Another interesting aspect of Pope Francis’ visit to the region this week involved the Maronite Church, whose Lebanon-based patriarch defied hostile Arab voices and joined the pontiff in Israel.

Israeli Christians Urge Israel to Rebuild Their Village

Ruins of the ancient synagogue at Kfar Baram – Photo source: Israel Today

The Maronite Church is part of the broader Catholic Church. It has traditionally been far less hostile toward Israel than other churches in the Middle East. That is especially true of the Maronites living in Israel, a great many of whom volunteer to serve in the IDF. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: ,
| May 21, 2014
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Introducing the IDF’s 1st Female Christian Officer

 

Yasmin Chayach has become Israel’s 1st female Arabic-speaking Christian to successfully complete the IDF’s Officers’ Course.

By Israel Today Staff

 

Yasmin Chayach has become the first female Arabic-speaking Christian to complete the Israeli army’s officers course.

Meet the IDF's First Female Christian Officer

Yasmin Chayach

Chayach was following family tradition by volunteering for service in the IDF, as her brother before her was also a proud Israeli soldier.

The Chayach siblings are part of a growing movement of young Arabic-speaking Israeli Christians who are choosing to do national service.

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Many of these young people have come to understand, contrary to mainstream teachings in the Arab world, that Israel is not their enemy, but rather their safe haven. Continue Reading »

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| May 9, 2014
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Greek Orthodox Church Sacks Priest who Supported Christian Arab IDF Enlistment

AFP reported Thursday that the Greek Orthodox church dismissed Father Gabriel Nadaf from his post in Nazareth without even bothering to summon him.

By Ari Yashar and Gil Ronen

 

An Israeli Arab Orthodox priest has reportedly been dismissed by the Greek Orthodox church in Israel, after publicly supporting IDF service for Christian Arabs.

PM Netanyahu meets Gabriel Nadaf, Aug. 2013 – Reuters

Church spokesman Essa Musleh told AFP on Thursday that the decision was made on Tuesday to fire Father Gabriel Nadaf from his post in Nazareth, and that the decision was only being made public now.

“We warned him before to keep to his priestly duties and not to interfere in matters of the army,” Musleh said.  Continue Reading »

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| May 8, 2014
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Christian Youths Respond With Act of Kindness to Jewish Vandalism

 

Group of Arab youths in Galilee Christian village restore ancient synagogue in response to escalating vandalism by radical religious Jewish youths to “show that there is a better way.”

By David Lazarus

 

Dozens of Arab youth have made a most unexpected and surprising response to “price tag” hate crimes — they restored the ancient Jewish synagogue in their town. Youth from the Arab Christian town Shefaram in the Galilee renovated the 250-year-old synagogue in order to “show that there is a better way.”

Arab Youth Respond With Act of Love to Jewish Vandalism

Organizers of the synagogue renovation project, which included Arab and Jewish youth, want the government to take action against the “price tag” criminals. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , ,
| May 1, 2014
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Violent Response to Christian IDF Enlistment

Unsurprisingly, Israel’s support of Christians volunteering for the IDF is sparking antagonist, even violent reaction from Israeli opponents. 

By Israel Today Staff

 

The Israeli Christian Recruitment Forum, which advocates young Arabic-speaking Christians voluntarily joining the Israeli army, has long had vocal critics. Now that the State of Israel is publicly backing the Forum’s efforts, that criticism has turned to open violence.

An Israeli soldier wearing crosses around his neck.

An Israeli soldier.- Photo: AP

More and more young Christians are deciding to volunteer for IDF service as a first step to greater integration with Israeli Jewish society. And the number is expected to rise exponentially after the Israeli government decided last month to begin sending voluntary IDF recruitment letters to local Christians when they reach 18 years of age. Continue Reading »

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| April 19, 2014
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Christians pilgrims meet in Jerusalem for Good Friday

 

Israel’s Christian and pilgrims from around the world meet in Jerusalem to walk the Via Dolorosa

By i24news

 

 

Local Christian Arabs and pilgrims from around the world made their way down the cobbled Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem Friday, where Jesus is believed to have walked to his crucifixion.

Christian worshipers mark good Friday in Jerusalem ( AFP )

Christian worshipers mark good Friday in Jerusalem – Photo: AFP

Thousands of worshipers, some bearing wooden crosses, walked through the walled Old City to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the site where they believe Jesus was crucified and buried before rising from the dead three days later.

The city was also busy on Friday with Jewish worshipers celebrating the week-long festival of Passover, which commemorates the Exodus of the biblical Israelites from captivity in Egypt.

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Category: Israel News | Tags: ,
| March 27, 2014
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Christian Israelis Take On Anti-Israel Campaign on Facebook


Israel’s Arabic-speaking Christians come out strong against fellow Christians whose comments defame the Jewish state on Facebook.

By Ryan Jones

 

The Israeli Christian Recruitment Forum on Thursday came out swinging against yet another malicious propaganda campaign targeting Israel on the popular social network Facebook.

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The campaign appears to center around a composite picture of six= dilapidated local churches that are presented as false evidence that the Jewish state discriminates against and seeks to remove Christians from the Holy Land.

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Such notions have undergirded a new Evangelical Christian movement that paints Palestinian Christians as the suffering Jesus to Israel’s strong-armed Romanesque oppressor. Continue Reading »

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| March 24, 2014
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Israeli Arabic-speaking Christians to EU: Israel is Our Safe Haven

 

Israeli Christians demand that the world’s gov’ts stop wasting time demonizing Israel out of political agendas, and start focusing on the real problems by lifting “a finger against the ethnic cleansing of Christians in the Middle East.”

By Ryan Jones

 

Some 150 Israeli Arabic-speaking Christians on Sunday demonstrated outside the European Union mission in Tel Aviv, demanding that the international community stop nitpicking against Israel and start combating the severe persecution of Christians everywhere else in the Middle East.

Christians to EU: Israel is Our Safe Haven

Young, proud Arabic-speaking Israeli Christians demonstrate in Tel Aviv – Photo source: Israel Today

“Nations, organizations and international missions are quick to raise an accusing finger against Israel at every opportunity,” said Father Gabriel Nadaf, spiritual father of the Israeli Christian Recruitment Forum, which organized the rally. Continue Reading »

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| March 11, 2014
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Israeli Christians choose to embrace Israel

 

There are Arabic-speaking Christians who choose to embrace Israel, rather than fight against it with the Muslims. Many Christians across the region have been migrating or converting to Islam by force.

By Shadi Khalloul

 

The Christ at the Checkpoint conference now taking place in Bethlehem bills itself as an “authentic” voice of local Christians. That may be, but it is by no means the exclusive voice of local Christians. The following is a response to Christ at the Checkpoint conference.

Israeli Christian Shadi Khalloul - Photo source: Israel Today

Israeli Christian Shadi Khalloul – Photo source: Israel Today

A growing number of Israeli Christians have been speaking out with a new voice and calling for integration into Israeli Jewish society. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , ,
| February 27, 2014
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Knesset: law past distinguishes between Christians and Arab Muslims

Nazareth Christian leader speaks about new law distinguishing between Christians and Arab Muslims. Christians Are No Longer to be ‘Arabs’

By Ryan Jones

 

Israel’s Knesset on Monday signed into law a bill that legally distinguishes between local Christians and the bulk of the Arabic-speaking population, which is primarily Muslim.

Christian Priest: Israel a Shining Example of Human Rights

Greek Orthodox priest, Father Gabriel Nadaf, spiritual head of the Israeli Christians Recruitment Forum

The stated goal of the law is to boost Christian employment rights by recognizing them as an independent minority, and thereby granting them separate representation on local councils and employment committees.

Israeli Arab (mostly Muslim) members of Knesset blasted the new law, insisting it would undermine Arab identity in the Holy Land. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , , ,
| February 24, 2014
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Arab Knesset Member Writes Pope to Prevent Christian Volunteering for IDF

 

Israeli Arab lawmaker appeals to Vatican in a letter, asking help in stopping Arabic-speaking Christians from integrating too much with Israel.

By Israel Today Staff

 

Israeli Arab Member of Knesset Basel Ghattas has issued an appeal to Pope Francis to personally intervene against the enlistment of Arabic-speaking Christians in the Israeli army.

Israeli Arab Member of Knesset Basel Ghattas – Photo source: Israel Today

Haaretz reports that Ghattas’ letter was delivered to the Vatican’s representative in Jerusalem, Archbishop Giuseppe Lazzarotto, in hopes that Pope Francis would address the issue when he visits the Holy Land in May.

Like most other minorities, local Arabic-speaking Christians are not required to serve in the Israeli army, but a growing number are choosing to do so, many at the encouragement of the Nazareth-based Israeli Christian Recruitment Forum. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , , , , ,
| February 13, 2014
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Muslim MK May Face Legal Action After Threatening Christian in Knesset

 

Israeli Christian Recruitment Forum seeks legal action against MK Hanin Zoabi for threatening its representative during Knesset committee meeting last week.

By Israel Today Staff

 

A Muslim member of Israel’s Knesset, the outspoken and controversial Hanin Zoabi, is facing possible legal action after she issued a thinly-veiled threat against a Christian representative addressing the Knesset’s Labor, Welfare and Health Committee last week.

Muslim MK Faces Possible Legal Action For Threatening Christian

Muslim member of Israel’s Knesset Hanin Zoabi – Photo source: Israel Today

Shadi Haloul, spokesman for the Israeli Christian Recruitment Forum that encourages young local Christians to join the Israeli army and integrate with Jewish society, was invited by the committee to speak on behalf of the growing number of Christians who want to be recognized as a minority separate from the Arabs. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , ,
| February 5, 2014
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Muslim MK ejected from meeting on establishing special Christian-Arab representation

Muslim MK Zoabi was forced out of a Knesset meeting for implying that a Christian Arab who supports the bill deserves violence.

By LAHAV HARKOV
 

 

A Christian Arab representative accused Arab MKs of racism and MK Hanin Zoabi (Balad) was thrown out of a heated Knesset Labor, Health and Welfare Committee meeting Wednesday on a bill giving Christians separate representation in the Advisory Committee for Equal Opportunity in Employment Commission.

“Arab rights don’t interest [coalition chairman Yariv Levin (Likud Beytenu), who proposed the legislation],” MK Jamal Zahalke (Balad) said. “There isn’t an employment problem for Christians or Druse. It’s for the general Arab public. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , ,
| January 30, 2014
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Israel Honors Local & Foreign Christians

 

The World Jewish Congress and Israel’s Knesset jointly award & publicly recognize Nazareth’s Priest Gabriel Nadaf for helping Christians integrate with Israel.

By Ryan Jones

 

The Israeli Knesset’s Christian Allies Caucus and the World Jewish Congress on Wednesday jointly hosted the eight annual Night to Honor Israel’s Christian Allies.

PM Binyamin Netanyahu meets Father Gabriel Nadaf, August 5, 2013. - Photo: Moshe Milner/GPO

PM Binyamin Netanyahu meets Father Gabriel Nadaf, August 5, 2013. – Photo: Moshe Milner/GPO

After various Israeli politicians and Christian leaders spoke about the shared roots and shared destiny of Christians and the Jewish people, the organizers got to the meat of the evening, the honoring of two Christians who have done much to advance Jewish-Christian relations in recent years. Continue Reading »

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