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Israel: State protection available to Christians (2002 - June 2004)

According to several sources, Israeli law allows freedom of worship (ICC Feb. 2003; Israel My Beloved 2001; Jewish Virtual Library n.d.; The Spectator 16 Mar. 2002), a freedom that the government "generally respects" (International Religious Freedom Report 18 Dec. 2003, sec. 2). According to Israel My Beloved, the Website of the International Christian Zionist Center, this meant that Christians also benefit from "legal protection from persecution," although further information to this effect could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate (2001). International Religious Freedom Report 2003 goes on to state that, while defining Israel as a "Jewish state," the Declaration of Independence also confers "full social and political equality [on its citizens] regardless of religious affiliation" (18 Dec. 2003).

In its survey of Christian "persecution" in Israel, the International Christian Concern (ICC) stated in February 2003 that there was "no evidence that prisoners [were] being held for their Christian beliefs at this time.". Come and See, "the Christian Website from Nazareth," reported that in May 2004, for the first time in Israel's history a Christian Arab was elected as a Supreme Court judge (5 May 2004). An article in The Spectator maintained that in 2001, for every Jew to visit Israel there were two Christians, indication of "[t]he fact ... that, by and large, Israel treats its 138,000-strong Christian minority tolerantly and equitably" (16 Mar. 2002). Responding to Jordan's Christian Educational Institutions' secretary-general's claims that Christians are leaving Israel because they are "oppressed by the Israeli government," an Israeli diplomat was reported as stating that no such oppression existed and that "Christians' rights were fully protected" (AP 11 Mar. 2002). ICC maintained that the exodus of Christians from Israel and the Occupied Territories is due to the recent violence in the area (Feb. 2003).

According to an ICC article, Christian proselytizing is permitted in Israel but is "discouraged" (Feb. 2003). The article mentioned the 21 January 2001 proposal of legislation which "would subject to 3 months imprisonment anyone who mails, faxes, or e-mails materials of an evangelistic nature without the prior consent of the addressee," although the article did not mention whether or not the proposed legislation was ultimately approved by the Knesset (ICC Feb. 2003). The same article reported that in October 2002, the municipality of Petach Tikva fired an employee belonging to an evangelical Christian denomination after the anti-missionary Orthodox Jewish organization Yad Le'Achim accused him of evangelizing children in the schools where he worked (ibid.). While the article indicated that the man's church accused Yad Le'Achim of threatening him and was planning to press charges against the city of Petach Tikva on grounds of religious discrimination, it did not indicate the outcome of the case (ibid.).

The ICC alleged that there were several reports of "harassment and violence" directed toward Christians by Orthodox Jewish groups, although "[n]o particular organization has been implicated" (Feb. 2003). An editorial in The Spectator indicated that between 1997 and 2002 there were five violent incidents against Christians, "all carried out by fringe elements within the Ultra-Orthodox community" (16 March 2002).

On 4 March 2002, the New York Times stated that under pressure from the Vatican and Christian organizations in the Holy Land, the Israeli government halted the construction of a mosque near a Catholic basilica in Nazareth. The government justified its action as necessary to ensure "physical security" of the church as well as "sensitivit[y] of all religious people worldwide" (New York Times 4 Mar. 2002).

Several sources have indicated that during sectarian violence which has pitted a number of Druze against their Christian Arab neighbours in Israel's Galilee, the police have remained for the most part uninvolved (Bulletin Jan.-Feb. 2004; Come and See 25 Oct. 2002; Al-Ahram Weekly 12 Mar. 2003). Despite car bombs, vandalism and shootings directed at Christian homes in the town of Rama, for instance, many villagers claim that the police have not interfered and have made no arrests (ibid.). An Associated Christian Press article claims that both Druze and Christians have criticized the police "for their inability to catch the thugs" involved in the violence (Bulletin Jan.-Feb. 2003). According to a Christian man, " ... the Israeli police that is supposed to protect us does not see us as a priority and is always late to interfere in these fights" (Come and See 25 Oct. 2002). Al-Ahram Weekly found that according to villagers of Rama, in Galilee, authorities are not interested in policing Arab communities (12 Mar. 2003).

In a report on the situation of Arabs in Israel, the International Crisis Group (ICG) echoed the view of an Arab Christian in Israel who saw the Islamic Movement in a positive light, since it provided social benefits such as "hospital[s] and food" which were not provided by the State, the Arab world or the international community (4 Mar. 2004).

For additional information on the situation of Christians in Israel, please see ISR38822.F of 28 March 2002.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Al-Ahram Weekly [Cairo]. 12 March 2003. No. 628. Jonathan Cook. "Communal Pitfalls." <http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2003/628/re3.htm> [Accessed 10 June 2004]

Associated Press (AP). 11 March 2002. Shafika Mattar. "Arab Christians Draw Attention to Their Plight in Israel, Palestinian Territories." (NEXIS)

Bulletin: Associated Christian Press. January-February 2003. No. 426. Uri Ash. "Ethnic Strife Reaches Missile Firing Point." <http://www.christusrex.org/www1/ofm/cic/BULL426.pdf> [Accessed 16 June 2004]

Come and See. 5 May 2004. "Christian Arab Becomes Judge in the Supreme Court." <http://www.comeandsee.co.il/print.php?sid=541> [Accessed 16 June 2004]

_____. 25 October 2002. "Druze Hooligans Attack Christians in the Village of Rama." <http://www.comeandsee.co.il/print.php?sid=370> [Accessed 10 June 2004]

International Christian Concern (ICC). February 2003. "Middle East: Israel." <http://persecution.org/Countries/israel.html> [Accessed 16 June 2004]

International Crisis Group (ICG). 4 March 2004. No. 25. Identity Crisis: Israel and Its Arab Citizens. <http://www.crisisweb.org//library/documents/middle_east___north_africa/arab_israeli_conflict/25_identity_crisis_israel_arab_citz.pdf> [Accessed 16 June 2004]

International Religious Freedom Report 2003. 18 December 2003. United States Department of State. Washington, DC. <http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2003/24453.htm> [Accessed 15 June 2004]

Israel My Beloved. 2001. "The Forgotten Christian Communities in the Holy Land." <http://www.israelmybeloved.com/today/israels_minorities/christians_in_the_holyland.htm> [Accessed 16 June 2004]

Jewish Virtual Library. n.d. "The Christian Communities of Israel." <http://www.us-israel.org/jsource/Society_&_Culture/Christian_communities.html> [Accessed 16 June 2004]

The New York Times. 4 March 2002. Serge Schmemann. "Mideast Turmoil: House of Worship; In Shift, Israel Bars Building of a Mosque Near a Church." (NEXIS)

The Spectator [London]. 16 March 2002. "Christians in Israel; Letters." (NEXIS)

Additional Sources Consulted

Publications: Christian Communities in Jerusalem and the West Bank Since 1948.

Websites, including: Amnesty International (AI), European Country of Origin Information Network (ECOI), Fédération internationale des ligues des droits de l'homme (FIDH), Freedom House, Haaretz, Human Rights Watch (HRW), Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs (JCPA), Jerusalem Report Magazine, Maariv, World News Connection (WNC).