Christians in Israel face increasing harassment and security concerns, particularly since a major conflict escalated in October 2023. Members of the Christian community, which represents less than 2% of Israel’s population, report incidents including verbal abuse and physical threats directed at those wearing visible religious symbols. A Catholic nun was violently attacked in Jerusalem’s Old City, leading to the indictment of a Jewish man from a West Bank settlement. Researchers tracking religious freedom incidents documented a near-tripling of recorded cases of harassment in Jerusalem over recent years, with the organization founded to monitor such incidents noting approximately one incident daily in recent months.
Government and interfaith leaders have taken steps to address the concerns. Israel appointed a new ambassador tasked with building relations between Christians and the country, who has pledged effective prosecution of crimes against Christians. The ambassador stated that the government views every incident against Christians as “immoral, illegal and should be prosecuted” and expressed commitment to ensuring Christians can “thrive” in Israel. Some observers note improvements in policing and prosecution efforts, though concerns persist about adequacy of protection.
Religious communities in Israel’s Old City navigate daily coexistence at sacred sites located in close proximity to one another. Christian priests, Jewish men, and Muslim women share the same narrow stone alleyways while traveling to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Western Wall, and the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound respectively. Interfaith leaders emphasize the importance of maintaining coexistence while acknowledging historical contexts of persecution. Some Jewish Israelis have organized volunteer protection for Christians in the area.
Analysts attribute hostility from some Jewish religious nationalists partly to theological differences, historical experiences of persecution in Christian-majority countries, and broader tensions surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Most Israelis reject harassment, though security concerns remain in Christian Palestinian communities in the West Bank. Some Christian groups that have traditionally supported Israel have expressed concern about incidents affecting Christian Palestinians in villages like Taybeh, where property damage by settlers has been reported and military restrictions have been imposed.
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