The Shocking Reality of the Treatment of Christians in the Holy Land by US-Funded Israel

Christians in the Holy Land, particularly in Israel, face declining numbers and oppression, including vandalism and harassment, while their American counterparts often support entities that enable these actions, contrasting sharply with the peaceful coexistence and constitutional protections experienced by Christians in Muslim-majority Jordan.

• Christians in Israel face declining numbers and harassment from Jewish extremists, while American Christian support is misdirected.

• Jordan's Muslim king safeguards Jerusalem's Christian holy sites and fosters a thriving, respected Christian minority.

• A just resolution for Palestinians and a shift in foreign policy towards peace and economic stability are crucial for the region's future.

Christians in Israel are experiencing a significant decline in population and face open hostility from Jewish religious extremists, including being spat at and having their holy sites vandalized, with little support from American Christian communities who instead fund Israeli settlements. This contrasts sharply with the situation in Jordan, a Muslim-majority country, where Christians are thriving, enjoy constitutional rights, and are well-represented in society due to the Hashemite leadership's commitment to interfaith harmony and stability.

Decline of Christians in Israel

• 00:01:24 The Christian population in Israel is shrinking, a trend evident since the state's founding in 1948 and exacerbated by recent conflicts and rising extremism. Many Christians were expelled or displaced during the events of 1948 and 1967, and today's Palestinian refugees include a significant number of Christians, contradicting the American media's frequent association of 'Palestinian' with 'Islamic terrorist'.

Hostility Towards Christians

• 00:02:01 Christian clergy in Jerusalem are frequently subjected to harassment, including being spat at by Jewish religious extremists, actions often caught on video. This behavior is rooted in some Jewish schools teaching that the cross symbolizes persecution, leading to a mission among radical groups to 'purify Jerusalem from infidels,' including Christians, without equivalent vandalism from Islamic groups in Jerusalem.

Lack of Aid to Christians

• 00:17:00 American Christian churches provide minimal financial aid to Christians in Nazareth and Bethlehem, areas significant to Christian faith, despite being the wealthiest and largest Christian community globally. In fact, more money from Christian churches in the United States is reportedly sent to Jewish settlements in the West Bank than to support the declining Christian communities in these historically sacred towns.

Jordanian Custodianship of Holy Sites

• 00:22:45 The King of Jordan, under Hashemite custodianship, acts as the protector of both Christian and Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem, an arrangement vital for maintaining Jerusalem's multi-faith character. This includes financially supporting the repair of sites like the Church of the Nativity and the Holy Sepulchre, a role that stands in stark contrast to the Israeli government's restrictions on Christian observances, such as limiting pilgrims during Easter for 'safety reasons' without historical precedent for such issues.

Christian Life in Jordan

• 00:52:12 Christians in Jordan, despite being a small minority (2-3% of the population), feel completely at home and enjoy significant prosperity and representation across various sectors, including government and military. This thriving community attributes its success to constitutional rights ensuring equality, the country's overall stability, and the Hashemite leadership's consistent promotion of interfaith dialogue, compassion, and meritocracy.

The Future of the Holy Land

• 01:17:53 The ongoing conflict and lack of a just resolution for Palestinians in the Israel-Palestine region are profoundly destabilizing, with military interventions often leading to a vacuum that extremist elements fill. American foreign policy, which often funds actions perceived as oppressing fellow Christians, is questioned, with a call for the US to prioritize stability and peaceful, economic intervention to protect Christian communities and foster coexistence.