Palestinian Christians

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Violence and coercion has resulted in up to a 90% decline in the Christian population in areas under Hamas or Palestinian Authority control, according to a new study by the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs (JCFA).

In 1922, Christians constituted 11% of the population. Today, in 2024, they are just 1%.

The JCFA research, led by Lt. Col. (res.) Maurice Hirsch and Attorney Tirza Shorr, discovered mass emigration of Christians, particularly from historically significant cities like Bethlehem.
"Demographics don’t lie. We are witnessing a significant 80-90% decline in the Christian population in major cities," the researchers emphasized.

The Christian population in Gaza shrank from 5,000 before Hamas took over the area to only 1,000 in October 2023, the report found.

JCFA explained that religious and legal discrimination, desecration of holy sites, and social exclusion were behind the decline in the Christian population.

The city of Bethlehem is used as an illustration of what JCFA calls "Christian demographic erasure."

In 1950, Bethlehem and the surrounding villages were 86% Christian.

However, this has dwindled since 1994, when the PA took control of the city. The last census in 2017 showed Bethlehem was 10% Christian families, but many have left, or are leaving, due to systemic socio-economic hardships and instability, discrimination, and harassment, including of Christian clergy, by Muslim Palestinians and the Islam-dominated Palestinian Authority.

Bethlehem also serves as an example of Christians undergoing forced conversion to Islam, a phenomenon that Gaza’s Bishop Alexios, warned of in 2016. "Christians who converted to Islam did so under threats and violence," Alexios said at the time.

"The mass exodus of the Christians risks undermining the survival of Christianity in its birthplace," the report added.

The report also collected testimonies regarding violence and harassment against Christians, especially of girls, since the PA took over.

Most cases, however, go unreported due to fear of retribution and a lack of legal enforcement.

As mayor of the Palestinian city of Bethlehem, I have the privilege of lighting the Christmas tree in Manger Square and attending Midnight Mass at one of the world's oldest churches, built in the fourth century by the Byzantine Empress Helena. But my most important duty is to help give people faith and encouragement. When I lit the Christmas tree on December 3, I expressed my hope that the light would radiate to the world our desire for peace, and we prayed together that Christmas would fulfill its promise and bring people together.

Bringing people together has two meanings for Palestinians living under occupation. It can mean the togetherness of time shared with friends and relatives. But as the mayor of the city where it all began for Christians 2,000 years ago, I must think of the larger Palestinian family.

The fact that we have been living for decades under occupation means that we cannot enjoy the sense of togetherness that all people want during their great holidays, particularly the religious ones. Our people in Gaza cannot come freely to Bethlehem, and our brothers and sisters in Jordan and other countries cannot easily obtain visas from an occupying power that applies exaggerated entry restrictions. Citizens of other Middle East countries, like Lebanon and Syria, which have no peace agreement with Israel, have no chance at all.

The fact that a Palestinian Christian like me, or a Christian living in a nearby Arab country, cannot simply come to Bethlehem for Christmas should be unacceptable to everyone – as should the eight-meter-high wall that still encircles our city, despite being declared illegal by the International Court of Justice in 2004. This wall is a constant reminder of separation rather than togetherness.

This year marks 150 years since the municipality of Bethlehem was established.

Under Palestinian Authority law, a Christian Arab serves as mayor here and in similar Palestinian cities. But the challenge of keeping Christian Arabs in Palestine has become more difficult because of the occupation. While many Palestinians suffer under foreign military rule and wish that they could leave, Palestinian Christians are leaving in larger numbers simply because they have connections with the wider world through churches and the tourism business.

Bethlehem's population has grown over the years, and so has the number of hotel rooms – something unavailable to Mary and Joseph 2,000 years ago. But the growth of our population and tourist accommodations has been restricted by the wall Israel built on our land, and by the occupiers' refusal to allow us to pursue normal urban planning, partly because of Israeli settlement activity. These settlements, too, have long been considered illegal by the United Nations Security Council, yet Israel continues to build and confiscate land in violation of international law, which forbids occupiers from benefiting from their military conquests.

Christmas is celebrated three times in Bethlehem, reflecting the rites of the three main churches that have been here for centuries. Catholics and those following the Gregorian calendar hold midnight mass on December 25, while Orthodox Christians, who follow the eastern calendar, begin their Christmas celebrations on January 6. Armenians hold the ritual on January 18. As we do every year, we will observe all the formalities dictated by the Ottoman Status Quo. This centuries-old system of unwritten rules requires a very strict protocol governing where local leaders meet the head of the respective church and who is allowed to accompany the patriarchs and bishops at various entrance points.

Ten years ago, UNESCO declared Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity to be in danger. After extensive renovation by the Palestinian government, funded by private and official donors, the church's mosaics and other elements, damaged by a fire centuries ago, were restored. But we Palestinian Christians, who have been living continuously in Bethlehem for 2,000 years, do not want our churches to become museums. We want Christian pilgrims from around the world, including Arab Christians, to come to Bethlehem to visit the living stones. For now, we are blessed that our people still hope and insist on a better tomorrow despite the absence of any serious peace talks.

When we lit the Christmas tree, we prayed that the light from Bethlehem – from the darkness of military occupation – would reach the entire world. Our faith is not in a change of heart by our occupiers, but in the justice of our cause. Two millennia ago, the skies of Bethlehem were lit as angels heralded the birth of Jesus by declaring, "Peace on Earth and goodwill to all." This Christmas, all of us in His hometown continue to yearn for that true peace.

The West Bank city of Bethlehem is gearing up to observe Christmas without its customary festive displays for the second consecutive year due to Israel’s deadly war on the Gaza Strip.

The city, including the Church of the Nativity, believed to be built on the grotto where Jesus Christ was born, lacks any celebratory atmosphere. Instead, prayers and calls for an end to the Israeli war on Gaza have replaced the usual festivities.

Typically, at this time of year, Bethlehem's streets, alleys, and churches are adorned with Christmas decorations, with one of the world’s most beautiful Christmas trees erected in Manger Square near the famous church. The city also usually bustles with tourists during the holiday season.

But for the second year, the Israeli war on Gaza, which has killed over 45,300 people since last year, has dimmed the Christmas celebrations in the city and stolen the joy from its residents.

This year’s Christmas celebrations in the city are limited to religious rituals and family visits.

Prayers for peace

On Tuesday, Bethlehem’s Christians, along with dozens of foreign pilgrims, prayed at the Church of the Nativity, which remains nearly empty compared to its usual crowded state on Christmas Eve, when the square would typically be filled with tourists and worshippers from around the world.

[...]

A grim picture

Bethlehem Mayor Anton Salman described this year’s Christmas atmosphere as "grim" in light of the ongoing war in Gaza.

“The message of Christmas has not changed since Christ was born, it is a message of love,” Salman told Anadolu.

“Bethlehem has decided to mark Christmas without festive displays, limiting celebrations to prayers, religious rituals, and supplications to end the suffering and injustice against our people.

“We believe Bethlehem should convey to the world today a grim picture of the reality in Palestine through the absence of decorations, Christmas trees, and events, in hopes of awakening te world’s conscience to work toward ending the suffering of the Palestinian people, ending the occupation, and achieving a just and comprehensive peace,” Salman added.

The mayor said that Palestinians in Bethlehem are living in dire economic conditions.

“Economically, Bethlehem is collapsing. Due to this situation, many families were unable to provide Christmas clothes or gifts for their children. We are living in a state of anguish,” Salman lamented.

Economic losses

Jeries Qumsieh, spokesperson for the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism, called this year’s Christmas celebrations somber and gloomy, with celebrations limited to religious rituals.

“This year, there are no tourist delegations or pilgrims due to the devastating war Israel is waging against our people,” Qumsieh said.

“Bethlehem is suffering from a significant economic downturn, with hotel bookings at only 3 percent this year,” he added.

Qumsieh estimated Bethlehem’s daily losses due to the Israeli war at $1 to $1.5 million.

Since the Israeli war on Gaza on Oct.7, 2023, the city’s total losses have reached approximately $1 billion, he added.

Christian communities following the Western calendar mark the peak of their celebrations with midnight Mass on Dec. 25. Communities following the Eastern calendar will celebrate Christmas on January 7.

AMMAN: The conflict in Gaza has cast a shadow over Bethlehem, the revered birthplace of Jesus. Its mayor, Hanna Hanania, spoke to Arab News about the detrimental impact the Israeli blockade has had on the city’s tourism industry, a vital economic lifeline.

“The harsh closure that Israel has placed on Bethlehem has cut off any possible tourists or pilgrims wanting to visit the city, but it also denied us the possibility of internal tourism,” he said.

In a mark of solidarity with the Palestinian people, Bethlehem’s city council will this year curtail its usual Christmas festivities.

“In keeping with the traditional status quo, we will still welcome the heads of the three churches as they make their annual Christmas visits to Bethlehem. Boy Scouts will still march but without music. No lighting of the Christmas tree or any other decorations will take place and Christmas Eve will be simply a religious ceremony,” Hanania said.

The mayor sees a parallel between the situation in Gaza and the ancient tragedies that befell Bethlehem.

“The attack on Gaza and the massacre of children is a reminder of the massacre by Herod of the children of Bethlehem when Jesus was born,” he said.

“Bethlehem was the recipient of the message of peace 2,000 years ago and this is the message we want to proclaim. The people of our city and the people of Palestine want real peace.”

In a recent meeting with the British ambassador, Hanania voiced his displeasure at the envoy’s repetition of the Israeli narrative, stressing the deep-rooted issues faced by Palestinians.

“Our problems did not start on Oct. 7, but we have been suffering discrimination and attempts at usurping our land and our rights ever since Balfour made his infamous promise to allow Jews to steal our land.”

During the meeting, Hanania highlighted the disparities between Palestinians and the residents of the nearby illegal Jewish settlements. He pointed to the inequitable distribution of resources, particularly water, where settlers receive twice as much water from the Bethlehem aquifer.

“They receive 150 liters per capita per day, we receive 65 liters per capita per day even though the water comes from Bethlehem aquifer,” he said.

Since Oct. 7, the city had grappled with inflated prices and limited access to fresh produce due to the blockade, he said.

Environmental concerns had also escalated due to restricted access to waste disposal facilities in Hebron, compelling the use of a temporary, less safe dump in Beit Sahour.

Last year’s municipal elections were a watershed moment for Hanania’s mayoral journey.

“The 2022 municipal elections in Bethlehem were very problematic,” he said. “Eleven lists participated, but although we won the most, five seats, and I was the top vote-getter, it was hard to make a coalition, as everyone wanted to be mayor.”

A senior Palestinian official’s intervention led to a rotational agreement, under which Hanania’s term will end on Jan. 8.

His tenure has been marked by strategic initiatives aimed at enhancing Bethlehem’s financial and cultural landscape. He successfully lobbied for the city to be part of a pilot project allowing it to directly collect housing taxes, thereby addressing the critical issue of cash flow delays from the Palestinian Authority.

Hanania has also spearheaded significant tourism projects, including the renovation of the Bethlehem Museum near the Church of the Nativity, has been an advocate for cultural preservation and has worked to enhance the city’s appeal as a center for religious and historical tourism.

He has been instrumental in promoting Bethlehem’s heritage, advocating for the preservation of its historical sites and traditions, which are integral to its identity and tourism appeal.

This initiative, combined with a mandatory museum tour for church visitors, promised to ease congestion and generate significant revenue. The development of a walking tour along the historic Star Street, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the implementation of a tourist tax, were also part of these efforts.

“The museum was scheduled to have a religious narrative, a national narrative and a cultural narrative of the city of Bethlehem,” he said.

“Tourists would have to pay a small fee of $5, this would bring about $10 million to the city’s coffers because we normally have an average of 2 million visitors (a year) to the Church of the Nativity.

“The museum tour would help reduce the heavy traffic at the church and would provide shelter for the tourists from the rain or the hot summer until their turn to visit the birthplace of Jesus.”

While the Gaza conflict has stalled many of Hanania’s plans, he remains optimistic about their long-term benefits. He draws inspiration from an Arabic proverb about sowing seeds for future harvest, hopeful that his efforts will yield positive outcomes for Bethlehem and its people.

As his mayoral term draws to a close, he said he envisioned a future in which Bethlehem could thrive as a beacon of culture, history and peace, drawing visitors from around the world to its sacred sites.

Many Palestinians residing in Israel would at this time ordinarily be setting up their small shops, adorning their homes with fairy lights, selecting festive clothes and collecting gifts for loved ones in preparation for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr. Butcher shops would be filled with customers looking to stock up for barbecues. Sweets shops would have run out of pastries – especially date-filled cookies known as maamoul. But this year the picture is different.

2) Muslims, in Palestine, have similarly toned down the festive aspects of their holidays. See the following Haaretz story: Eid al-Fitr in the Shadow of War: Palestinians in Israel Mark a Somber Holiday Celebration: "This year, local Arab councils in Israel and the Islamic Fatwa Council are calling to mute the public festivities of Eid al-Fitr, the holiday at the end of the holy month of Ramadan, and encouraging Muslims to empathize with those in Gaza," Apr 10, 2024.

Claims Christmas was "canceled" in Bethlehem due to persecution of Christians by Muslims, and that no Muslim holidays were similarly "canceled."

In reality, only the more festive aspects of Christmas were "canceled." Religious aspects went on as usual, minus the usual large numbers of tourists. And festive aspects of Muslim holidays Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha WERE similarly toned down. For both, festivities were toned down due to: mourning and praying for an end to the slaughter in Gaza.

Blatant BS. In reality:

(1) Only the festive aspects of Christmas were "canceled" in Bethlehem. Religious aspects went on as usual, minus the usual large numbers of tourists.

(2) The Muslim festive holidays Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha WERE similarly toned down. -- not just in the West Bank, but also in Israel and even here in the U.S.A.

(3) For both Christian and Muslim Palestinians, this toning down of festive holidays was genuinely due to mourning, protesting, and praying for an end to the slaughter in Gaza. Why on Earth WOULDN'T they? Are you folks human???

Looks to me like you folks are just trying to stir up Islamophobia among Western Christians, and are blatantly lying in order to do so.

Despite the ongoing conflict in Gaza, Father Gabriel Romanelli is working to create a sense of normalcy through education. The parish priest of the Holy Family Church in Gaza City has made it a priority to ensure that children in the community continue to receive “remedial” schooling.

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Father Gabriel himself described their attempts at classes for the children, despite all difficulties: “We began to have classes for the children, with the help of teachers from kindergarten to the first year of secondary school, teaching them Arabic, English, Math, and Science. We had to suspend lessons because there were so many rockets landing nearby, but we began some of them again.”

“We never suspended adoration, the rosary, or Mass, and we continue to pray for peace,” he said, emphasizing the spiritual commitment of the Church.

[...]

The Catholic compound currently houses 416 Christians, both Catholic and Orthodox, plus 63 children with disabilities who are looked after by the Missionaries of Charity. An additional 204 people, all Orthodox, are in the adjacent Orthodox compound.

The Latin Patriarchate already operated a second school in Gaza, besides the one in the Catholic Compound, which is being used as a refuge center. There were hopes that it could be reactivated upon the establishment of a ceasefire, but it was recently hit by a missile strike. There is no guarantee that it will ever be operational again.

Munther Isaac is a Palestinian Christian pastor and theologian. He now pastors the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem and the Lutheran Church in Beit Sahour. He is also the academic dean of Bethlehem Bible College, and is the director of the highly acclaimed and influential Christ at the Checkpoint conferences. Munther is passionate about issues related to the Palestinian theology.

He speaks locally and internationally and has published numerous articles on issues related to the theology of the land, Palestinian Christians and Palestinian theology, holistic mission and reconciliation. He is the author of “The Other Side of the Wall”, “From Land to Lands, from Eden to the Renewed Earth”, “An Introduction to Palestinian Theology” (in Arabic), a commentary on the book of Daniel (in Arabic), and more recently has published a book on women ordination in the church, also in Arabic. He is also involved in many reconciliation and interfaith forums. He is also a Kairos Palestine board member.

In 1948 the history of Palestine changed forever, but little is ever said about the upheaval faced by its Christian minority. Christians have lived side by side with Muslims and Jews for almost two thousand years. An integral part of Palestinian society, they have shared in the events of recent history, yet their voices are seldom heard and worse: their existence often ignored.

Bethlehem, the traditional birthplace of Jesus Christ, marked a subdued Christmas, overshadowed by the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the devastating local economy. For the second consecutive year, the city’s Christian community faced a bleak holiday season, with rising fears about the survival of one of the world’s oldest Christian populations.

Friar Ibrahim Faltas, Vicar of the Custody of the Holy Land, told The Media Line, “This has become an open-air prison. On top of the conflict in Gaza, people here have been struggling for 15 months without income, with restricted mobility, and no change in sight.”

The streets of Bethlehem reflected this despair. Many shops were closed, no festive decorations were present, and a few young children persistently distributed candies and small souvenirs to passersby with the goal of earning some money.

Groups of locals walked slowly toward Manger Square in front of the Church of the Nativity. Despite the lack of tourism, the square looked packed, given the huge number of foreign press and security forces on every corner.

Palestinian scouts marched silently through the streets at noon, departing from the usual raucous brass band procession. At the end of the march, Latin Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa addressed the crowd beside a picture of two Gazan children.

“Despite the current suffering you are facing on every front, we stand with you. Do not surrender; do not be afraid because you are the light in this darkness. This has to be the last Christmas like this,” he declared.

Munther Isaac, senior pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christian Church in Bethlehem, spoke of the importance of resilience. “One year ago, I had the idea to represent the ‘Christ in the rubble’ to show the suffering Palestinians in Gaza have been enduring. This sent a message to the world that Christmas is much more than a recurrence; it is a way to remember who still lives here under oppression and their fight for survival,” he said to The Media Line.

Growing economic concerns
The economic blow to Bethlehem has been severe. Tourism accounts for 70% of the city’s income, mostly generated during the Christmas season. Visitor numbers have plunged from a pre-COVID high of 2 million in 2019 to fewer than 100,000 in 2024.

Anna, an Aramean Christian tour operator, told The Media Line, “I have been jobless since October 7. I am currently economically relying on my husband, who sells electronic devices in his shop here, but we have been struggling since neither the PA [Palestinian Authority] nor Israel has been able to help us financially. I used to take tourists on tours in Jerusalem and Bethlehem, but everything changed.”

Anna criticized polarized narratives about the conflict, saying, “I am against any form of violence, and what both sides did to one another is unacceptable. For this reason, I am against the choice of each side to portray itself as the ‘only victims’ because, in this way, they are just polarizing, even more, the perception of this conflict abroad.”

“The beauty of our Holy Land, which I gladly define as a whole, despite walls dividing one side from the other, is that there is no black and white, but different shades, that people from the outside often do not see,” she added.

Her husband, a Palestinian ID holder, cannot travel freely as Anna and their children can. She emphasized teaching her children tolerance: “My goal was to teach my kids no resentment toward anyone. The problem of many living here is that they pass their trauma to younger generations and teach hate instead of forgiveness. If we keep doing like this, we will be stuck in this loop of violence forever—Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike,” she noted.

The church has become a vital lifeline for struggling families. Father Rami Askarieh, parish priest of the Latin Church of St. Catherine, told The Media Line, “The church has been doing more for the people here than our current government. We offer food coupons, pay electricity bills for those who struggle, and provide medicine and educational fees. Here, the PA covers 90% of health expenses, but the remaining 10%—which is a lot of money—has to be covered by our donations. We can’t manage all the time with the increasing numbers of requests.”

Declining Christian population
Askarieh lamented the decline in Bethlehem’s Christian population. “In 1947, Christians comprised 85% of the city’s population. By 2016, this had decreased to 12%. Today, we are more or less 10%. As other Christians in the region, we may face extinction despite being one of the most ancient communities,” he said.

Faltas expressed similar fears. “The paradox is that Christians all over the world pray for Bethlehem and its people here, but our people are leaving. Since the breakout of the war, 147 Christian families left the city for better opportunities abroad. This is scary. What does the future hold for this community? There are barely 9,000 Christians here.”

Askarieh also raised concerns about rising extremism in the region. For example, in Syria, the small Christian community may be targeted for attacks even more than in the past. He mentioned that Christian tombs were recently vandalized in Hama, and the Christmas tree was set on fire.

Glimmer of hope
The First Baptist Church of Bethlehem, part of a small but resilient evangelical Christian community, also provided a glimmer of hope. Its leader, Rev. Dr. Naim Khoury, described efforts to ease suffering through Christmas activities, food donations, and spiritual gatherings. “We distributed over 250 food shares to needy families. Spiritually, we thank God that people found some relief and hope through our celebrations,” he told The Media Line
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David Parsons, vice president of the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem, highlighted a broader trend. “In Bethlehem, the breadwinners, who normally work in Christian tourism or are employed in Israel, are out of work due to the war. So Christmas isn’t so good there this year. Meanwhile, Arab Christians in cities like Nazareth, Haifa, and Old Jaffa have found more opportunities to celebrate alongside Jewish neighbors, fostering social cohesion,” he noted.
He described “a lot of interaction over Christmas and Hanukkah this year” and added, “It's good to see the communities coming together.”

Despite the challenges, Bethlehem’s religious leaders continue to advocate for peace and hope. Khoury summed up the prevailing sentiment: “We try to plant hope, peace, and love in people’s hearts to help them accept what is happening now in a biblical way.”