Palestinian Christian Victims Under the Illegal Israeli Ocuupation

by Jonathan Penley

The Palestinian Christians have had it the worst under the Illegal Israeli Occupation. They are faced with land thefts, beatings, and murders. In Bethlehem, where Jesus was born according to Christianity, over 85% of the population was Christian in 1948, when Israel was founded. It is now less than 12% Christian. The general manager of Nativity, the only Christian television station in Bethlehem, has had death threats and visits from armed men demanding his land. In the Gaza Strip, Rami Ayyad's store was bombed, then he was kidnapped and shot in the head for the crime of managing Gaza's only Christian bookstore and being involved with charities. Ayyad was a member at the Baptist Church, and on the Sunday before Christmas last year, only 10 people attended the regular weekly prayer service, down from an average of 70. This February, in Gaza City, a YMCA's library which is available for all Palestinians was blown up.

At the Students for Justice in Palestine's event at UCLA concerning the Christian victims under the illegal Israeli occupation, no such recent atrocities were mentioned. There was no mention that last year's Fatah-Hamas summit was hosted by Saudi Arabia in Mecca, where Christians are forbidden. There was mention about travel taking many times longer during peak hours for Palestinian Christians, just as it does for other Palestinians. (Ever heard of the 405 freeway?) There was of course mention about the sharp decrease of Christians in Bethlehem; however, the fact that Christian growth in Israel has grown 270 percent since 1948 was failed to be mentioned.

What do all of these things have common? None have Palestinian Christian victims suffering because of their religion due to Israel. According to a Palestinian survey taken this February, while the border was breached between Gaza and Egypt, 72% of Palestinians opposed Hamas's take over of Gaza. Fatah's approval rating is not far behind. For true expression of justice, student groups should, instead of creating another anti-semitic event just to bash Israel, condemn Fatah and Hamas for damning their people's futures. Jonathan Penley.

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