Leading Israeli Christians gathered at a Jerusalem conference to declare their own identity apart from Arab Muslims, and their support for Israel. “We are not Arabs,” the group declared. “We are Christians who speak Arabic.”
Participants at the conference—titled “Israeli Christians: Breaking Free? The advent of an independent Christian voice in Israel”—said their history, culture, and heritage have been hijacked by Muslim Arabs in the region. They said they feel a closer affinity to Israel and the Jewish people, which their culture and religion originally derived from.
„Der Judenstaat ist der einzige Staat im Nahen Osten, in dem Christen respektiert werden und in Frieden leben können“, sagte der 38-jährige Schahdi Halul aus dem galiläischen Dorf Gusch Halav zu Israel heute.