Christians in Jerusalem

[EasterIssland]

found this in Twitter today about the current situation of Christians in Jerusalem (West bank and East Jerusalem) and the struggles they’re going through

https://premierchristian.news/en/news/article/christians-in-holy-land-desperate-over-lack-of-work-and-upsurge-in-religious-hatred

The situation for Christians is especially desperate as most of them work in the tourism sector, which has been at a standstill since the conflict began.

The source told ACN that for Christians “wearing a cross can get you into trouble.
“Sometimes you have to hide your identity in your own homeland to avoid problems.
“The presence in the area of groups with increasingly radical elements makes our situation even more difficult.”

@Auvergne63 there is quite a bit in the report on steps taken to punish & protect. One awful series of incidents lead to this ' Responding to the seriousness of the attacks, on August 9, Israeli President Isaac Herzog visited the monastery and participated
in a meeting with the leaders of the Churches,
including Latin Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa,
Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilus III and
Anglican Archbishop Hosam Naoum, and Israel’s
Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai. According
to the Superior of the community, following
the intervention of the authorities, the police
guarded the monastery day and night for about
two months. The police intervention, combined
with the erection of a fence around the entrance
to the monastery, discouraged the attacks, and
since September the situation at the monastery
has been calm.'

Israel and their army just stands by and lets this happen. A country with no principles is no country.

"At the end of July, the Kisiya family were evicted from a farm in Al-Makhrour, a valley near Bethlehem, where they had lived since the 1960s. A member of the family, Alice Kisiya, told the Church Times that they had been expelled despite possessing documents from the Civil Administration — the Israeli body governing the occupied West Bank — confirming the Kisiya family’s ownership of the land.

The family was evicted on 31 July, after a stand-off with settlers accompanied by Israeli troops.

Bishop of Gloucester speaks up for Palestinians evicted by Israeli settlers (churchtimes.co.uk)

Another article about it . Now obviously our pro settler contributors will question the bias of this source but it is validated.
Palestinian Christians demand settler stolen UNESCO land back (newarab.com)

That is wrong @silence. It should not happen.

I'm glad that steps are being made to stop attacks happening.

In the UK there were attacks on both Jewish and Muslim sites and both condemned and action taken.

I saw this a few weeks ago, it’s appalling and needs more coverage.

I'm glad in the UK and the cases in Israel are being looked at, investigated or charged or attempts to reduce.

Meanwhile, Iran has not stopped its attacks on Christian churches, and the persecution of Christians in Iran continues to be a serious issue:

Mass arrests
In July 2023, Iran experienced another wave of mass arrests of Christians.

Legal restrictions
It is illegal to gather for Christian worship or fellowship in Iran, and believers can be arrested for doing so.

Persecution of converts
Converts to Christianity from Islam face particular persecution, including being denied the right to work.

there are children in the UK applying for asylum here since their Christian parents have 'disappeared ' in Iran. The Red Cross/Crescent are trying to locate them.

I've never come across a pro-settler contributor on MN.

Who are the pro settler posters you refer to? Never seen any. I'm definitely not one.

It is futile trying to win against the settlers as they have the backing of the government. The Palestinians, be they Muslim or Christian don't have the same rights and have limited choices. They can try and fight back and protect their homes and be killed or imprisoned, or leave.

Wait. We know that Israel is God's country, both Jews and Christians alike....we christians love the Jews and will be patient with them until as the Bible predicts, they will come to know their Messiah

I do think the current government has given carte blanch to extremists. I wonder what the court’s justification was given they proved ownership. Perhaps that the military decided they needed it? Either way it’s appalling but I’m glad they have support from various groups. I hope a shit hot lawyer picks io their case.

I hope so too but it is very very (almost impossible) that they will win. This is not to be argumentative, but you can check yourself how many cases there has been where Palestinians have won any land cases against settlers. As I say, it is futile.

Neither have I. It's really bizarre to keep saying this when it doesn't happen, it's always roundly condemned from all sides.
If a country with no principles is no country, with this unjustifiable behaviour being used as the benchmark, there's going to be a long list of not-countries in the world unless you consider Israel to be unique in some way or for some reason.

Will be patient with them? What's that supposed to mean?

No thanks.

It's the usual chucking out comments that aren't true. It's bizarre. It doesn't happen. Maybe there is a parallel universe mn (in their head) where it does? It doesn't happen on here. Looks silly when its suggested and its false.

Yeah I know, settlers are a stain on Israel imo (I imagine there are plenty of Jewish people who feel the same way). I want to see a two state solution but these people and the extremists on the Palestinian side are part of the same problem. I sometimes think it’s never going to be resolved. Hopefully over time there will be more people who will look for peace and be willing to give something up for it than people who want it all and are willing to fight until they get it.

Well the derailers and silencers chased the OP away from her thread because not one word of criticism of Israel will be tolerated. what a surprise.

@Silence1
so who are the pro settler community on here you mentioned. Back up your claim and name these posters. I'm not pro settler. There are very few posting so are they mythical posters? 🙄

I don’t think you have very good reading comprehension, we’ve just been discussing the case of a Christian family chucked off their land. But caring about Christians being persecuted everywhere should be fine too.

Have you read the actual posts in this thread?

Hopefully over time there will be more people who will look for peace and be willing to give something up for it than people who want it all and are willing to fight until they get it.

🙏

That rubbish and you know it.

Israel has done many things wrong but doesn't operate in isolation as the only place where Christian people are having a tough time. Just the only place that is deemed worthy of criticism.

The settler community treating Christians badly is wrong and should be condemned. Also other treatment of Christians in the middle east should also be condemned. Have a read through comments where people are questioning why only criticism of Israel. Any answer to why only Israel and no criticism of other mistreatment of Christians in the entire middle east 🤔

@MissyB1 literally the post above yours was a criticism of Israeli settlers. What their wasn't was generalises hand wringing about how evil Israel is, but a wider discussion of issues facing christians and various specific cases of harassment of Christians.