At Easter, Stark Contrast in Life for Christians in Israel and Rest of Middle East

[Sally]

I think most of us realize by now that the Christians are the most persecuted people in the Muslim-controlled Middle East.

At Easter, Stark Contrast in Life for Christians in Israel and Rest of Middle East


By Alex Traiman/JNS.org


Millions of Christians celebrated this Easter Sunday on April 20 under threat throughout the Middle East. In recent years, Christians living in countries such as Syria, Egypt, and Iraq have suffered extreme persecution, with churches destroyed in violent acts of terror (sometimes during prayer services) and hundreds of thousands killed. Many other Christians have fled the region.

Yet in Israel, the one Mideast country where Christian residents have enjoyed security, freedom of worship, population growth, and support from the government, some Palestinian leaders are complaining about Israeli security policies relating to the Easter holiday.

But according to David Parsons, media director of International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, Christians living in Israel and even in Palestinian controlled-territories, from which entry into Israel is not allowed without special permits, have much to be thankful for and little to complain about compared to their Christian brethren in neighboring countries.

“For Palestinian Christians, things may not be easy, but when you look around the region, I don’t know if those who are now complaining are going to get too much sympathy,” Parsons told JNS.org.

Read more at:

At Easter Stark Contrast in Life for Mid-East Christians - Israel News

 

[Roudy]

I think most of us realize by now that the Christians are the most persecuted people in the Muslim-controlled Middle East.

At Easter, Stark Contrast in Life for Christians in Israel and Rest of Middle East


By Alex Traiman/JNS.org


Millions of Christians celebrated this Easter Sunday on April 20 under threat throughout the Middle East. In recent years, Christians living in countries such as Syria, Egypt, and Iraq have suffered extreme persecution, with churches destroyed in violent acts of terror (sometimes during prayer services) and hundreds of thousands killed. Many other Christians have fled the region.

Yet in Israel, the one Mideast country where Christian residents have enjoyed security, freedom of worship, population growth, and support from the government, some Palestinian leaders are complaining about Israeli security policies relating to the Easter holiday.

But according to David Parsons, media director of International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, Christians living in Israel and even in Palestinian controlled-territories, from which entry into Israel is not allowed without special permits, have much to be thankful for and little to complain about compared to their Christian brethren in neighboring countries.

“For Palestinian Christians, things may not be easy, but when you look around the region, I don’t know if those who are now complaining are going to get too much sympathy,” Parsons told JNS.org.

Read more at:

At Easter Stark Contrast in Life for Mid-East Christians - Israel News

It must be a good feeling as a practicing Christian in the Holy Land, not to have to worry about your church being bombed by Muslim animals, like it is in the rest of the Muslim world.

 

[Sally]

I think most of us realize by now that the Christians are the most persecuted people in the Muslim-controlled Middle East.

At Easter, Stark Contrast in Life for Christians in Israel and Rest of Middle East


By Alex Traiman/JNS.org


Millions of Christians celebrated this Easter Sunday on April 20 under threat throughout the Middle East. In recent years, Christians living in countries such as Syria, Egypt, and Iraq have suffered extreme persecution, with churches destroyed in violent acts of terror (sometimes during prayer services) and hundreds of thousands killed. Many other Christians have fled the region.

Yet in Israel, the one Mideast country where Christian residents have enjoyed security, freedom of worship, population growth, and support from the government, some Palestinian leaders are complaining about Israeli security policies relating to the Easter holiday.

But according to David Parsons, media director of International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, Christians living in Israel and even in Palestinian controlled-territories, from which entry into Israel is not allowed without special permits, have much to be thankful for and little to complain about compared to their Christian brethren in neighboring countries.

“For Palestinian Christians, things may not be easy, but when you look around the region, I don’t know if those who are now complaining are going to get too much sympathy,” Parsons told JNS.org.

Read more at:

At Easter Stark Contrast in Life for Mid-East Christians - Israel News

It must be a good feeling as a practicing Christian in the Holy Land, not to have to worry about your church being bombed by Muslim animals, like it is in the rest of the Muslim world.

Not only for the Christians, but also for the Bahai's who have a beautiful temple in Israel.
I can just imagine what the Bahai's in Iran are going through. There must be loads of them locked up in the Iranian prisons just for being a Baha'i..

 

[waltky]

Christians Who Refuse To Leave Israel Face Death...

Catholic Church in Israel rebukes gov't after attacks
1 May 2014 Thursday ~ The Catholic assembly said one of its bishops had received a message two days ago from a suspected Jewish extremist in which the latter threatened to kill Christians and priests who refused to leave Israel.

The Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries in the Holy Land said on Wednesday that the Israeli government had failed to prevent attacks by Jewish extremists on both Muslim and Christian holy sites in the occupied territories, according to a strongly-worded Wednesday statement. "Our past condemnations have fallen on deaf ears or at best empty promises from [Israeli] officials," read the statement, issued following recent vandal attacks on a mosque and a church. "[Israeli] officials shouldn't give the perpetrators the impression that they're above the law," the assembly added. "The time has come to join forces with a view to ending this dangerous phenomenon." "We call on officials of the state of Israel to bring the perpetrators to justice as soon as possible," the statement read. "We also demand the investigation of those who consistently incite [violence] against anyone who disagrees with their thoughts and beliefs," it added.

The Catholic assembly said one of its bishops had received a message two days ago from a suspected Jewish extremist in which the latter threatened to kill Christians and priests who refused to leave Israel. The assembly added that the death threat had been received on the same day that unidentified perpetrators vandalized a northern Tabgha church and broke its holy cross. Vandals also struck a northern Freidis mosque on Tuesday, spray-painting the Star of David – a symbol associated with Israel – on the walls of the building.

Israeli authorities had earlier announced that they were investigating the "Price Tag" Jewish extremist group for possible connections with the mosque attack. The "Price Tag" Jewish extremist group stages frequent attacks on Muslim and Christian property and places of worship in Arab cities located inside Israel.

Catholic Church in Israel rebukes gov't after attacks | Middle East | Worldbulletin News

See also:

Netanyahu Pushes Law Declaring Israel As A Jewish State
MAY 1, 2014, - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday he would seek a new law declaring Israel a Jewish state, striking back against a Palestinian refusal to recognize that status in now-collapsed peace talks.

"I will promote a Basic Law that will define Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people," Netanyahu said in a speech in Tel Aviv that alluded to Palestinian rejection of his demand to recognize Israel as such in the U.S.-backed negotiations. Palestinians fear this label would lead to discrimination against Israel's sizeable Arab minority, which makes up a fifth of its population, and negate any right of return of Palestinian refugees from wars since 1948 to what is now Israel. Israeli enshrinement in law of the concept of Israel as a Jewish state - a definition that was included in its 1948 Declaration of Independence - could complicate any efforts to restart negotiations that stumbled over that issue and others.

Netanyahu, speaking in the hall where the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1948, said those seeking the creation of a Palestinian state, while refusing to recognize Israel as a Jewish nation, were challenging its right to exist. Mohammad Barakeh, an Arab lawmaker from the left-wing Hadash party, said legislation declaring a Jewish state would be racist in nature. "The truth is, I was surprised by his intention to bring this as a Basic Law," Barakeh told Reuters by telephone. "I have been following Netanyahu's actions in the peace talks. I know he doesn't want peace and wants to put a spanner in the works. But he's gone too far with this."

In lieu of a formal constitution, a series of Basic Laws adopted by parliament since Israel's founding define governmental, legislative and judicial powers, protect civil rights and codify Jerusalem's internationally disputed status as the country's capital. A new Basic Law declaring Israel a Jewish state would largely be symbolic, an Israeli official said. "It is declaration to show that this is part of our national ethos." Israel's Basic Law declaring Jerusalem, including the eastern sector captured in a 1967 war, its "eternal and indivisible capital" does not carry any punitive measures against those who oppose that declared status. Netanyahu, in his address, pledged that Israel will always "ensure full equality in the personal and social rights of all its citizens - Jews and non-Jews alike - in a Jewish and democratic state."

http://www.businessinsider.com/netanyahu-israel-jewish-state-2014-5#!IJNI5

 

[Roudy]

Christians Who Refuse To Leave Israel Face Death...

Catholic Church in Israel rebukes gov't after attacks
1 May 2014 Thursday ~ The Catholic assembly said one of its bishops had received a message two days ago from a suspected Jewish extremist in which the latter threatened to kill Christians and priests who refused to leave Israel.

The Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries in the Holy Land said on Wednesday that the Israeli government had failed to prevent attacks by Jewish extremists on both Muslim and Christian holy sites in the occupied territories, according to a strongly-worded Wednesday statement. "Our past condemnations have fallen on deaf ears or at best empty promises from [Israeli] officials," read the statement, issued following recent vandal attacks on a mosque and a church. "[Israeli] officials shouldn't give the perpetrators the impression that they're above the law," the assembly added. "The time has come to join forces with a view to ending this dangerous phenomenon." "We call on officials of the state of Israel to bring the perpetrators to justice as soon as possible," the statement read. "We also demand the investigation of those who consistently incite [violence] against anyone who disagrees with their thoughts and beliefs," it added.

The Catholic assembly said one of its bishops had received a message two days ago from a suspected Jewish extremist in which the latter threatened to kill Christians and priests who refused to leave Israel. The assembly added that the death threat had been received on the same day that unidentified perpetrators vandalized a northern Tabgha church and broke its holy cross. Vandals also struck a northern Freidis mosque on Tuesday, spray-painting the Star of David – a symbol associated with Israel – on the walls of the building.

Israeli authorities had earlier announced that they were investigating the "Price Tag" Jewish extremist group for possible connections with the mosque attack. The "Price Tag" Jewish extremist group stages frequent attacks on Muslim and Christian property and places of worship in Arab cities located inside Israel.

Catholic Church in Israel rebukes gov't after attacks | Middle East | Worldbulletin News

See also:

Netanyahu Pushes Law Declaring Israel As A Jewish State
MAY 1, 2014, - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday he would seek a new law declaring Israel a Jewish state, striking back against a Palestinian refusal to recognize that status in now-collapsed peace talks.

"I will promote a Basic Law that will define Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people," Netanyahu said in a speech in Tel Aviv that alluded to Palestinian rejection of his demand to recognize Israel as such in the U.S.-backed negotiations. Palestinians fear this label would lead to discrimination against Israel's sizeable Arab minority, which makes up a fifth of its population, and negate any right of return of Palestinian refugees from wars since 1948 to what is now Israel. Israeli enshrinement in law of the concept of Israel as a Jewish state - a definition that was included in its 1948 Declaration of Independence - could complicate any efforts to restart negotiations that stumbled over that issue and others.

Netanyahu, speaking in the hall where the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1948, said those seeking the creation of a Palestinian state, while refusing to recognize Israel as a Jewish nation, were challenging its right to exist. Mohammad Barakeh, an Arab lawmaker from the left-wing Hadash party, said legislation declaring a Jewish state would be racist in nature. "The truth is, I was surprised by his intention to bring this as a Basic Law," Barakeh told Reuters by telephone. "I have been following Netanyahu's actions in the peace talks. I know he doesn't want peace and wants to put a spanner in the works. But he's gone too far with this."

In lieu of a formal constitution, a series of Basic Laws adopted by parliament since Israel's founding define governmental, legislative and judicial powers, protect civil rights and codify Jerusalem's internationally disputed status as the country's capital. A new Basic Law declaring Israel a Jewish state would largely be symbolic, an Israeli official said. "It is declaration to show that this is part of our national ethos." Israel's Basic Law declaring Jerusalem, including the eastern sector captured in a 1967 war, its "eternal and indivisible capital" does not carry any punitive measures against those who oppose that declared status. Netanyahu, in his address, pledged that Israel will always "ensure full equality in the personal and social rights of all its citizens - Jews and non-Jews alike - in a Jewish and democratic state."

Netanyahu Pushes Law Declaring Israel Jewish State - Business Insider

They'll catch up with with whoever who did this, sooner of later.