Apr 4, 2025
Incidents of anti-Christian bigotry in Israel increased in 2024, according to a recently released report.
There were 111 attacks against Christians that the Rossing Center for Education and Dialogue included in its annual report, titled “Attacks on Christians in Israel and East Jerusalem” and published last Thursday.
The Rossing Center is an interreligious organization based in Jerusalem, which works to improve relationships between Christians, Jews and Muslims.
Members of the group presented the findings of the report and a December 2024 survey during a Thursday briefing at The Notre Dame of Jerusalem Center in Jerusalem, the Catholic News Agency reported on Saturday.
Out of the 111 cases documented in the 2024 annual report, 46 consisted of physical attacks, which ranged from things like spitting, pepper spraying or hitting. Thirty-five of the reported incidents consisted of attacks against church properties, which included acts of graffiti, arson or damage to statues.
The report also documented 14 cases involving the defacement of public signs, 13 cases of harassment and three reported violations of religious belief, which included requests to remove religious symbols or “limitations in freedom of movement to attend religious services.”
“The most common form of physical harassment is spitting—a long-standing issue that has escalated from subtle incidents to openly aggressive acts,” the 2024 annual report stated. “Clergy are now regularly harassed in public spaces, especially, but not exclusively, in areas such as Jerusalem’s Old City.”
According to the report, most of the perpetrators belong to the ultra-Orthodox and national-religious communities. Most of the victims targeted are clergy who are easily identifiable as Christians due to their clothing, which often features religious symbols.
One of the developments highlighted in the 2024 report included a growing willingness among the victims over the past year to report incidents to the authorities. The report noted that this indicates “a positive trend toward increased cooperation and trust."
As the Central Bureau of Statistics reported on Dec. 22, 2024, approximately 180,300 Christians live in Israel, making up 1.8% of the country’s population. Almost 80% of the Christians in Israel are Arab Christians, and they make up 6.9% of the total Arab population of Israel.
The Rossing Center’s annual report also cited a December 2024 survey commissioned by the organization that highlighted the tense relationship between Christians and Jewish Israelis. Nearly 48% of Christian respondents under 30 said that they are considering leaving the region. READ MORE
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SOURCE: The Christian Post