Christian communities in West Bank and Gaza decline

An Israeli scholar in Jerusalem yesterday asserted that Palestinian Christian communities in the West Bank and Gaza could cease to exist over the next 15 years, if present rates of emigration and decline continue. Justus Weiner, a scholar in residence at the Jerusalem Centre for Public Affairs, pointed to the fact that the Christian population of these areas now stands at 1.5%, down from 15% half a century ago. Declining birth-rates, natural attrition and high levels of emigration account for the decline. The town of Bethlehem, which for many years had a Christian majority, is now only about 20% Christian. Weiner suggested that the central reason for the widespread Christian exodus from these areas was not Israeli policies (though these have taken their toll), but rather a little-noted, ongoing process of harassment and persecution of Christian Arabs by Muslims. He condemned the failure of the western media and NGOs to pick up on this issue. A prominent member of Gaza's tiny Christian community, Rami Khader, was murdered a few months ago by Islamists in the Gaza Strip.

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