Palestinian Christians

About 200,000 Palestinian Christians currently reside in the Holy Land, descendants of some of the oldest Christian communities in the world. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Christianity's most holy site, as well as the Via Dolorosa, the route Christ is believed to have walked to his crucifixion, are located within Jerusalem’s Old City. Israel forbids Palestinians living in the occupied West Bank and Gaza to enter Jerusalem without permits, which are extremely difficult to obtain. Christian Palestinians who are citizens of Israel also suffer from widespread discrimination.

Ayman Odeh, New York Times

Israel Celebrates Its Independence, We Mourn Our Loss

Seventy years ago, the world changed around my family. The establishment of the state of Israel represented self-determination for Jews, but a catastrophe — “nakba” in Arabic — for Palestinians. In the area around the Mediterranean city of Haifa, where my family has lived for six generations, only 2,000 Palestinians of a population of 70,000 remained.

on April 18, 2018

Betty McCollum, The Nation

US Tax Dollars Must Not Be Used to Detain Palestinian Children

Israel is a powerful nation with the most advanced and capable military in the Middle East. It is the single greatest beneficiary of American military assistance, receiving $3.8 billion, some 25 percent of its defense budget, from American taxpayers each year. The security of Israel is obviously important to the United States, with missile defense programs like Iron Dome and David’s Sling as success stories.

on December 11, 2017

Saree Makdisi, Los Angeles Times

Trump Delivers a Death Blow to the Two-State Solution

President Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel represents a major break with decades of U.S. foreign policy. It is a final, devastating blow to the prospect of a two-state solution for Israel’s conflict with the Palestinians. The move involves, first, a contemptuous dismissal of Palestinians’ aspirations and rights, a denial of their claim to the city they consider their capital, where almost 400,000 of them live.

on December 7, 2017

Rashid Khalidi, The Guardian

Trump’s Error on Jerusalem Is a Disaster for the Arab World … and the US Too

Every time it seems Donald Trump cannot outdo himself, he does it again. Now he has announced that his administration will recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, reversing nearly seven decades of American policy. This step will have multiple negative ramifications, many impossible to predict.

on December 6, 2017

Murtaza Hussain, The Intercept

With His Jerusalem Move, Trump Flings Gas Can over a Region Aflame

In a move that would break from decades of U.S. policy and potentially trigger major regional turmoil, President Donald Trump is reportedly set to announce that the United States will recognize the disputed city of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. The White House announced that Trump will deliver his remarks on the subject Wednesday, with the New York Times reporting that the president has already informed Israeli and Arab leaders about his plans.

on December 5, 2017

Daoud Kuttab, Washington Post

Global Opinions Why Can’t Israel Accept Other Religions and Cultures in the Holy Land?

As a young boy growing up in Bethlehem, I was often excited when our family had company. My dad, a Christian clergyman, loved to take us and the guests to Hebron. Dad would take us to the Cave of the Machpela, situated within the Ibrahimi Mosque, where Abraham and his family are buried and would tell the story of how Abraham obeyed God’s calling even when it came to the request to sacrifice his own son.

on July 12, 2017

Fact Sheets

IMEU

Israeli Restrictions on Palestinian Movement

Using a variety of methods, Israel imposes severe restrictions on Palestinian movement within and to and from the occupied territories. These policies cause serious hardships for millions of Palestinians, preventing them from getting to work, school, accessing medical care, visiting family and friends, and severely hampers the Palestinian economy.

on June 6, 2017

Fact Sheets

IMEU

The Legal Status of Jerusalem

Under international law, East Jerusalem (including the Old City and its holy sites) are not legally part of Israel. Since Israel's establishment in 1948, the US and international community have refused to recognize the sovereignty of any country to any part of Jerusalem in the absence of a permanent Arab-Israeli peace agreement.

on May 17, 2017

Ma'an News Agency

After 15 Years in Gaza, Nativity Church Deportees Ask to Return to Bethlehem

A group of Palestinians deported to the Gaza Strip following the 2002 siege on the Nativity Church in Bethlehem rallied outside UN offices on Tuesday, commemorating their 15th year in exile as they urged the international organization to help them return to their homes in Bethlehem.

on May 10, 2016