Tag Archive for Palestinian Christians

| December 18, 2019
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The remaining Christians in Bethlehem cry for help under Palestinian rule

Watch the plea from one of the remaining Christian suffering under Palestinian rule, where Bethlehem has lost 65% of its Christian population since Israel surrendered control to the Arabs, dictated by the Oslo Accords.

By Israel Today Staff

 

Traditionally, the eyes of the Christian world are focused on the birthplace of Jesus Christ at Christmas. There, in Bethlehem, the Messiah was born in a manger. And there, in Bethlehem, locals have been celebrating this event for millennia. But what is often not reported is that fewer and fewer Christians are taking part in the celebrations with each passing year.

It is well known that Christianity is the most persecuted religion in the world. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , , ,
| June 3, 2018
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Palestinian stabs Franciscan friar in Bethlehem after harassing tourists

After 2 unidentified Palestinian men harassed a group of tourists entering the holy site and were asked to stop, one pulled his knife and stabbed the cleric in the chest.
– Robert Nicholson, founder of the Philos Project wrote, “This is what Palestinian Christians really have to deal with.”

By SETH J. FRANTZMAN

 

A Franciscan friar was reportedly assaulted at Bethlehem’s Milk Grotto over the weekend in an incident caught on video. Fr. Fadi Shallufi, who administers the Catholic chapel site, was struck by an assailant on Friday.

According to a report on Arab48.com, two unidentified men harassed a group of tourists entering the church site. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , , ,
| December 10, 2017
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Muslims Douse Bethlehem’s Christmas Tree lights to Protest Trump’s Jerusalem Decisions

In keeping with Palestinian tradition, Christians used as scapegoats with Abbas’ PA turning off the Christmas lights in Bethlehem in anti-Trump demonstration.

By Israel Today Staff

 

There were a lot of Arab responses to US President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, most of them bordering on hysteria.

But none were quite so silly as the Palestinian Authority turning off the Christmas lights in Bethlehem, the city of Jesus’ birth.

Apparently, recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of the Jewish nation, as Jesus himself did, is reason to suck the joy out of the holiday season.

Bethlehem Christmas tree – Photo: Bishara Shlayan/Facebook

Israeli Arab Christian political activist Bishara Shlayan posted the above photo to Facebook. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , , , ,
| March 14, 2017
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Palestinians in Chile Bully Christian Priest, Threaten Local Christians Over BDS Meeting

 

The Palestinian Federation of Chile, a major supporter of terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah & Hamas, has lead the charge in the anti-Israel BDS movement and sponsored many antisemitic events against the small local Jewish community of 15,000.

By 

 

Palestinians in Chile threatened to boycott a local Christian organization over a scheduled meeting with the Israeli Christian-Zionist leader Father Gabriel Naddaf.

Last week, Naddaf, the head of the Christian Empowerment Council, was on a tour of the South American country, sponsored by the local JNF-KKL chapter and the Zionist Federation of Chile, to speak out against the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement. Continue Reading »

Category: The Diaspora, Video's worth Viewing | Tags: , , , , , ,
| January 4, 2017
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Palestinian martyr-themed Christmas terrorist-tree for 2016 displayed in Jerusalem

 

Unlike the Arab Archbishop’s boss, Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III, who openly praised Israel’s protection of Christians, Atallah Hanna reveled around ‘hijacked’ Palestinian Christmas tree in East Jerusalem.

Israel Today Staff

 

A Christmas tree featuring photos of dozens of Palestinian terrorists killed while attacking Israeli Jews has been erected in eastern Jerusalem.

Until the past weekend, the tree had attracted many visitors, both Muslims and Christians. Among them was Archbishop of Sebastia Theodosios, better known as Atallah Hanna.

Theophilos & visitors with the 2016 martyr's Christmas tree in eastern Jerusalem. - Screenshot Israel TV2 News

Theophilos with visitors by the 2016 martyr’s Christmas tree in eastern Jerusalem. – Screenshot Israel TV2 News

Channel 2 News reported that Hanna told those gathered at the tree that it constituted a “Christmas message [from] the heart of Palestine – we are one nation defending one issue…standing firm and remaining in the Holy Land.” Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , , , ,
| December 8, 2016
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Israel grants 700 Gazans entry permits for Christmas holiday

 

In keeping with tradition, Jerusalem relaxes entry restrictions for Gaza Christians to visit family, or fly via Israel, during the holiday season.

By i24news

 

Israel will allow 700 Christian Gazans to visit their families in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, while also allowing 400 Gazans to travel abroad through the Ben Gurion airport.

Israel restricts travel between the two Palestinian territories, citing security concerns. Such restrictions are usually relaxed for Christians during the holiday season.

martyr-themed Christmas tree for 2015 - YouTube screenshot

HIJACKED HOLIDAY – West Bank, Palestinian martyr-themed Christmas tree for 2015, with pictures of dead Islamic terrorists – YouTube screenshot

The Palestinian territories are located in the Holy Land at the heart of the Christian faith and include Bethlehem, where tradition says Jesus was born. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: ,
| April 7, 2016
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Palestinian Christians outraged over Hamas destruction of unearthed church ruins in Gaza

 

West Bank Palestinian Christian cleric asks, “How are the Wakf officials in Gaza different from ISIS when they bulldoze antiquities and a religious and cultural treasure?”

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH

 

Palestinian Christians on Wednesday expressed anger over the way the Palestinian Authority and Hamas have handled the ancient ruins of a Byzantine church that were uncovered in Gaza City last week.

They said that bulldozers removed the antiquities and continued with their work without supervision. They accused the two big Palestinian parties of seeking to obliterate Christian history and identity in the Holy Land.

Kids removing sand covering carving from ancient ruins, which archaeologists say may be part of a Byzantine church or cathedral dating from around 1,500 years ago, were found in Gaza City April 4, 2016.

Continue Reading »
Category: Israel News | Tags: , , , , , ,
| December 30, 2015
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Hamas: Christian Celebration of New Year’s Eve is Totally Forbidden in Gaza Strip

 

In another blow to the dwindling Christian population in Gaza, a Hamas spokesman says New Year’s Eve celebrations (a.k.a. Saint Sylvester’s Day to the Catholic Church in many countries) will not be allowed because it is “contrary to our traditions and an imitation of the West.”

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH

 

Hamas has banned New Year’s Eve celebrations throughout the Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian sources.

Hamas against new years eve celebrations. – Photo: J’POST STAFF,REUTERS

The sources said that owners of restaurants and hotels in the Gaza Strip have been warned not to hold parties on this occasion.

RELATED:

Ayman Al-Batniji, spokesman for the Hamas police, expressed astonishment over the intention of some hotels and venues to hold parties on New Year’s Eve. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , ,
| December 30, 2015
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Radical Islamic Palestinians have always been the greatest threat to Palestinian Christians

 

After credible threats to target Christians & their holy sites by Muslim extremists within the Palestinian territories, Abbas’ PA decided to cancel the Christmas celebrations, which, as many were led to believe, had nothing to do with Israel or the recent violence against Jews.

By Bassam Tawil

 

This was not a happy Christmas for our Palestinian brothers in the West Bank who happen to be Christian. The Palestinian Christians have now become a tiny minority in Bethlehem. This year, they were just lucky that Christmas passed without a major terrorist attack or serious outbreaks of violence.

A Palestinian protester wearing Santa Claus costume stands in front of a section of the Israeli security barrier in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, December 18, 2015.

Continue Reading »
Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , , , , ,
| December 24, 2015
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WATCH: Al-Quds University turn Christmas tree into ‘martyr tree’

 

view videoWith some 7,000 people expected to visit Bethlehem for Christmas, according to the Palestinian Authority Tourism Ministry, visitors may be surprised to find Al-Quds University’s ‘martyr tree’ adorned with photos of the Palestinians killed in the commission of attacking Jews.

By Reuters & Israel Hayom Staff

 

The thousands of visitors flocking to Bethlehem for Christmas eve on Thursday, including hundreds of Gazan worshippers, will be met with a new addition to the Christmas decor: a martyr tree in the town’s main square.

A protest in Bethlehem before Christmas – Photo: EPA

The huge fir tree is covered with images of Palestinians killed in clashes with Israeli security forces when carrying out stabbing, shooting and ramming attacks over the last three months, Channel 2 reported. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , , , ,
| June 29, 2015
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Islamists Begin Terror Campaign Against Jerusalem’s Christian Arabs

Flyers, distributed to the Arab Christian residents of the North Jerusalem neighborhood of Beit Hanina with threats of ‘slaughter’ should they remain, were signed, “ISIS in Palestine”

By Israel Today Staff

 

Flyers made their appearance in the North Jerusalem neighborhood of Beit Hanina on Thursday last week, signed by the “ISIS in Palestine” organization, with threats against Arab Christians of the area. Christians are threatened with slaughter if they do not evacuate the area by Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan. The flyer went on to say that one month is enough time and warning for Christians to flee the area to avoid a massacre. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , , ,
| December 30, 2013
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Brits Suckered by Anti-Israel Antics at St. James’s Church

Having successfully tormented & then hounded most of Bethlehem’s Christians into leaving – the Palestinian Muslims’ propaganda campaign is succeeding at blaming Israel abroad.

By Gil Ronen

 

Palestinian Authority Muslims, who have been fully in charge of life in Bethlehem since the 1993 Oslo Accords were implemented, have successfully hounded most of the city’s Christians into leaving the city – but a London exhibition shows that their overseas propaganda in the West still manages to blame Israel for the Christians’ alleged suffering from Jewish “occupation.”

Replica Palestine Separation Wall Built in Central London - YouTube screenshot

Replica Palestine Separation Wall Built in Central London – YouTube screenshot

 

The “Bethlehem Unwrapped” festival opened Dec. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , , ,
| December 25, 2013
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Palestinian Christian Blames Muslims, Not Israel, for Ever Decreasing Numbers

 

Local Palestinian Christian researcher from Bethlehem says encroaching Muslim discrimination & intimidation is pushing Christians out of the region.

By Israel Today Staff

 

A Christian community leader and researcher from the Bethlehem suburb of Beit Sahour provided journalists with a very candid explanation for the exodus of Christians from the birthplace of Jesus: encroaching Muslim extremism.

Bethlehem Christian Blames Islam, Not Israel, for Dwindling Numbers

Bethlehem Christian Blames Islam, Not Israel, for Dwindling Numbers – Photo source: Israel Today

While most public figures among the Palestinian Arab Christian community will without blinking an eye blame Israel for all their woes, Samir Qumsieh, who operates a small local TV station, says these Christian leaders are “cowards” who are either deceived or compelled into toeing the line of the official Palestinian narrative. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , ,