Extremist Groups:

There have been various reports of incidences of harassment and violence by Jewish Orthodox groups. No particular organization has been implicated.

Government:

	Current law provides for the freedom of religion. Religious communities have legal authority in matters such as marriage and divorce.
	The status of Christian organizations operating in Israel is not clearly defined. It current consists of several arrangements with various government agencies.
	Proselytizing is not prohibited but is discouraged. A 1977 anti-proselytizing law forbids anyone from offering or receiving material benefits as an incentive to change religions.

Recent Actions:     

	Ongoing – Both Palestinian and Israeli Christians have been caught in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
	Ongoing - It has been reported that Christian homes are sometimes taken over by the Palestinian Authority and used as bases from which to fire on the Israeli army. The Israeli army, in return, has damaged and destroyed the Christian homes in order to attack the Palestinian gunmen.
	Ongoing - Recent reports indicate that Christians are fleeing Israel in large numbers. One researcher estimates that while Christians comprised about 20% of the population of the Holy Land in the early 1900s, today only 2% of the population is Christian and that segment is dwindling even more as Christians try to escape the violence currently taking place in their homeland. Approximately 250 Christian families have left Bethlehem since the beginning of the Palestinian uprising, according to the city's deputy mayor. (WA Post)
	January 24, 2003 - An Israeli missile struck the St. Philip's Episcopal Church, located in the center of a hospital complex in Gaza City. A woman at the hospital died, apparently of shock, after the missile struck next door. Church officials said there was no justification for hitting the church as its presence was well known. Bishop Riah Abu El-Assal reported that the Israeli government made no apology for the "mistake." The church building was significantly damaged. (ANS)
	December 2002 - Christians in Bethlehem have asked for prayer as they have been under a curfew since November 22. The curfew, imposed by the Israeli government, is part of an effort to crack down on Palestinian militants. However, Christians living in Bethlehem may not leave their homes or attend church and Christians seeking to travel to the birth place of Christ have been unable to do so. (ANS)
	October 2002 - A Christian computer technician was fired by the municipality of Petach Tivka after pressure from the Yad Le'Achim, an Orthodox Jewish anti-missionary group. Mr. Ze'ev Bern, a married man with two children, was working in the municipalities' schools where the Yad Le'Achim claimed he was evangelizing children. Mr. Bern is a member of the Grace and Truth Christian Congregation, an evangelical church in Rishon LeTsion. Church members have reported repeated threats against them by the Yad Le'Achim. They plan to press charges against the municipality for firing Mr. Bern on the basis of his religious convictions (Assist News Service).
	April - May, 2002 - The ongoing stand-off between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian gunmen at the Church of the Nativity has led to structural damage to the church compound, as several fires have been ignited by gunfire. Residents of Bethlehem, including Christians, have been confined to their homes as a result of the Israeli-imposed curfew. The absence of tourism has left many without income. Furthermore, Christians have not been able to worship at the Church of the Nativity and those venturing to churches further away from their homes have had great difficulty in traveling.
	April 21, 2002 - The Israeli government is refusing to recognize Patriarch Irineos as the Orthodox patriarch of Jerusalem. Irineos was installed in September of last year but has not been able to perform all of his duties due to the lack of formal recognition. Prime Minister Sharon stated that he was prepared to recognize Irineos. However, other members of the government refused to do so. Irineos has already been recognized by Jordan and the Palestinian Authority. (NY Times)
	April 10, 2002 - Armen Sinanian, a 22-year-old Armenian Orthodox monk was shot in the back as he stood at his window in the Church of the Nativity compound. Sinanian was apparently shot by an Israeli soldier who mistook him for one of the Palestinian gunmen. (AP)
	April 4, 2002 - The Rev. Mitri Raheb, pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christian Church in Bethlehem, was locked in his office for two hours and held at gunpoint as Israeli soldiers searched the church compound. The soldiers also destroyed many windows and doors during their search of the church compound, which is located only a short distance away from the Church of the Nativity (AP)
	April 2, 2002 - Palestinian gunmen forcibly entered the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, beginning a stand-off with Israeli soldiers. At least 240 armed Palestinian men were believed to be taking refuge in the church. The Church's clergy have refused to abandon the Church, though they are not being held as hostages. With the Church under siege, local Catholics have been unable to worship and celebrate Mass. The whole city of Bethlehem is under a military curfew, with only a few hours a day allowed for purchasing food and running other important errands. (AP)
	January 31-February 1, 2002 - A Muslim mob, including a Palestinian Authority Special Forces, burned Christian businesses and attempted to destroy the Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches in Ramallah. The attack occurred after a Christian man killed a Muslim at a Protection Post. The Christian man was being pursued by group of Muslim refugees because he refused to pay protection money for safe passage to his home.
	August 28, 2001 – The Israeli Army occupied the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Reformation, the orphanage Evangelical Lutheran Home, and the Abraham’s Herberge inter-religious center and guesthouse in Bethlehem beginning early morning after the Army began to heavily shell the Bethlehem area: Bethlehem, Beit Jala and Beit Sahour.   Douglas Dicks, a mission co-worker of the Presbyterian Church USA told PNS, “a curfew has been imposed on the town [Bethlehem]; neither the pastor nor the staff of the Home can reach the premises.  We are trying to find ways to bring food and other necessities to the isolated children.”  Currently, 50 children are being held isolated inside the orphanage.
	January 21, 2001 – Anti-missionary legislation was once again proposed in the Israeli parliament. A proposed amendment to the Penal Code 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.
	October 27-28, 2000 – Israeli Occupation Forces fired bullets and bombs at YMCA facilities in Beit Sahour, East Jerusalem, heavily damaging the administrative offices, men’s and women’s dormitories, and a "play" room designed to help children cope with the effects of the ongoing violence in the Holy Land.
	October 25, 2000 – Many Arab Christians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip quietly left the country with the help of several foreign embassies. Several Christians had been attacked in Gaza after a Palestinian Muslim leader called for a "jihad" against both Jews and Christians.
	September 19, 2000 – The three Ethiopian girls whose Israeli citizenship was revoked (see February 2000 below) have appealed the court’s ruling.
	June 2000 – Orthodox Jews in Tel Aviv threatened to burn down a Christian bookstore that sponsors evening Bible studies. During the day the Jews surrounded the store and shouted curses at the workers. Graffiti written on the store by night included swastikas and the phrase "Death to missionaries."
	February 2000 -- Three Ethiopian Christian girls are having their immigrant permits and citizenship revoked after 9 years on the charge that they had made "fallacious disclosures" in applying for citizenship. Although both of the girls’ biological parents were Christians, the three girls had been granted citizenship under the name of their Jewish adoptive father. However, they failed to inform authorities that they were adopted and not biological daughters. Under a Supreme Court decision in December of 1989, Messianic Jews are not to be considered Jewish for the purpose of the Law of Return. Therefore, all Messianic Jews who declared themselves Jews for the purpose of gaining citizenship are now subject to revocation of citizenship and expulsion. Had the girls informed authorities that they were adopted, they could have avoided the problems they now face. Authorities ordered the girls to leave the country by May 30th.

• November 1999 – Another bill was proposed in order to restrict missionary activity. The bill stipulates a 5-year prison sentence for soliciting or persuading another person to change his or her religion. A 3-year sentence would be handed down to anyone soliciting through advertisement and those convicted of holding such an advertisement without lawful justification would be sentenced to 1 year in prison.
      
• July,1999 — Orthodox Jews protested, verbally assaulting the Messianic Jewish Grace and Truth Congregation in northern Galilee. This is because the pastor, Baruch Maoz baptized 13 adults. Attendance was significantly low at the event as rioting prevented busloads of attendees from reaching the sight of the baptism.
      
• April,1999 - Another attempt to curtail evangelical activities by outlawing any attempt to convert another person was dropped due to the retirement of a member of the Israeli Knesset who was promoting the bill. This bill called for three years imprisonment or a fine of 50,000 shekels ($12,500 USD) for any attempt to change another's religion.
      

• Easter 1999 – Fighting broke out between Muslims and Christians in Nazareth. For almost a year Muslims had been protesting a proposed plaza for Millenium Christian pilgrims. The Muslim community wished to expand a nearby mosque. Fighting between the groups began around 3am when Muslims claim that Christians coming from Mass threw rocks and empty bottles at their protest tents. Christians, on the other hand, said they were attacked first. Some Muslims smashed car windshields and crosses with clubs. Seven people were injured.
            

	November 28, 1998 — Some 1000 ultra-orthodox Jews attacked a Christian and Missionary Alliance Church in Beersheva. The approximately 40 members inside had to be evacuated by police while the mobs threw rocks and spit at them. The Jews claimed that the Christians were planning to baptize Jewish children.
	November 11, 1998 — Three Christian women from Switzerland were attacked at their home being accused of missionary activity.
	November, 1998 — An American couple in Keryat Malachi were attacked and accused of missionary activity.
	Ongoing--There have been reports of Orthodox individuals harassing missionaries that are working in Israel.

Prisoners: There is no evidence that prisoners are being held for their Christian beliefs at this time.

Suggested Actions You Might Take:

	Pray for the leaders of Israel that they may embrace the value of total religious freedom and not pass laws that inhibit the freedom to proclaim the gospel message in their land.
	Pray for the Christians of Israel that they may continue to be protected from harm and that the Christian message may be heard and received by all Israelis.
	Write a respectful letter to one or more of the government officials listed below. Express your continuing concern for the safety and well being of the Christian community in Israel. Encourage them to respect internationally recognized standards of religious freedom.
	Contact the elected national officials (Congressman etc.) for your area as well as the U.S. State Dept. and express concern for the well being of the Christians in Israel asking them encourage Israeli officials to abide by international standards of religious freedom.
	Please keep us informed of any replies or results you may receive! Contact ICC by email at icc@persecution.org.

Official Contacts:

Embassy of Israel 3514 International Drive NW Washington, D.C. 20008 Tel: (202) 364-5500 Fax: (202) 364-5607 e-mail: ask@israelemb.org Moshe Katzav, President Office of the President 3 Hanassi St 92188 Jerusalem Israel Tel: 972-2-670-7211 Fax: 972-2-566-0445 WebPage: http://www.israel-mfa.gov.il/mfa/

Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakirya Romena Jerusalem 91950, State of Israel Tel: 011 972 2 530 3111 Fax: 011 972 2 530 3367 Ariel Sharon, Prime Minister Kiryat Ben-Gurion 3 Kaplan St, P.O. Box 187 91919 Jerusalem, Israel Tel: 972-2-670-5555 Fax: 972-2-513950 e-mail: ask@israel-info.gov.il WebPage: http://www.pmo.gov.il/

*We make every attempt to keep up with and reflect changes in the national government of Israel and the current human rights situation. We appreciate your feedback if you find any discrepancies in this information. You can contact us by e-mail at: ICC@persecution.org. Thanks.

POSTED:  February 13, 2003

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ICC Articles on Israel:

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