The Christian presence in occupied Jerusalem constitutes part of the history, Arabism of the city and its present. Therefore, the Israeli occupation authorities seek, by all systematic means, to displace Christians, reduce their numbers in the city, and steal their property, with the aim of obliterating Christian identity.

Just as the occupation authorities target Islamic sanctities in the Holy City through Judaization and settlement, they also pursue Christian sanctities, and impose restrictions on Christians, exercising their right to worship, especially at Christmas, in addition to attempting to seize the properties of Eastern Christian churches, and the real estate of Bab Al-Khalil.

Christians in Jerusalem face pressure from extremist settlers and their organizations, and Christian clergy are subjected to verbal and physical harassment and abuse, in addition to the imposition of taxes on churches.

Churches and monasteries were not spared from attacks by extremist “price tag” gangs, who wrote slogans insulting to Christ and the Christian religion on their walls, or sometimes deliberately burned them, as happened with the Church of Gethsemane, as well as attacks on the Roman Orthodox Church west of Jerusalem, and setting fires to the entrance to the monastery leading to To church.

The attacks by Jewish extremists included the Protestant cemetery in “Mount Zion,” which was subjected to the crime of digging up and destroying crosses and headstones of more than 30 graves.

The Protestant cemetery was established in 1848 on “Mount Zion” in Jerusalem. It is located between the Gates of the Prophet David and Wadi Al-Rababa in the town of Silwan, and includes the graves of Protestant Christian figures.

The Israeli Center against Racism said: “The vandalism of the Protestant cemetery is an additional serious event in a long and continuing series of cases of Jewish terrorism directed against Christians in Israel.”

He noted that Christian religious buildings had previously been burned, racist phrases had been written on monasteries, churches, and church property, Christian religious symbols had been vandalized, and graves had been exhumed.

Christians constituted 20% of the population in Jerusalem, numbering 31 thousand in 1948, but today, due to occupation policies, their percentage has diminished to less than 2%, and their number now amounts to only 10 thousand, and the numbers are declining.

Member of the Islamic Christian Organization for the Support of Holy Sanctities, Father Manuel Muslim, says that the occupation’s attacks on Christians in Jerusalem are not new, but they are continuing and escalating, with the aim of emptying the city of Christian Palestinians.

Muslim explains, in a press interview, that the conflict with “Israel” has not stopped, and the systematic and continuous targeting affects all Palestinians, Christians and Muslims, in addition to the Islamic and Christian holy sites in the Holy City.

He adds, “The occupation authorities, in targeting Christians, want to strike the centers of power, because the Palestinian Christian is the strength of his people and possesses an element of stability, because if the Palestinian people remain in their land, they do not turn the issue into a war between Islam and the occupation, but rather it becomes a war against a people.”

He explains that “the Christian presence in Jerusalem ensures that the Palestinians are one cohesive people, and prevents a religious war against Palestine. Therefore, the occupation targets this presence and seeks to empty it from the occupied city.”

The Christian Palestinian in Jerusalem constitutes an extension not only of a media nature, but also an existential one. All Christians in the world are considered to have a duty to support this presence in Palestine. According to Muslim

He continues, “The Christian attracts media and social energy and material wealth. The Christian presence brings tourism, money, and propaganda, as well as many Christian peoples to the city of Jerusalem, fighting with the Christians for their steadfastness, steadfastness, existence, and the protection of their churches and property.”

Therefore, the occupation authorities seek to empty the city of Christians, whether through immigration or seizing their churches, property, and lands, in order to monopolize Muslims.

He continues, “We Palestinians now need to prepare a new policy and media in order to confront the future and not the present, especially under the far-right and fascist occupation government. We also need a new Palestinian leadership that confronts the occupation and its racist measures.”

In turn, the Islamic Christian Organization for the Support of Jerusalem and the Sanctities affirmed that the Christian presence in Jerusalem constitutes an essential pillar of the Arabism of the Holy City and its spiritual, cultural and historical heritage.

In a previous statement, she warned of the occupation’s reckless plans through which it is trying to undermine the Christian presence in the city, in order to remove it from the circle of conflict, calling on the international community and the World Council of Churches to assume their responsibilities in defending this presence in the Holy Land.