Tag: Israel

Coptic monks injured in clash with Israeli police

October 26, 2018 Israel Copts, Egypt, Israel, Jerusalem

A skirmish between Coptic clergymen and Israeli police took place in Jerusalem on Wednesday (24 October) after the monks protested against Israeli authorities forcibly taking charge of repairs to a chapel the Copts say they own, Associated Press reports. The Antiquities Authority of Israel moved to repair the St. Michael . . . Read More

Jerusalem Patriarch says settlers are pushing Christians out of Old City

May 4, 2018 Israel Arabs, Churches, Greek Orthodox, Israel, Jerusalem, Jews, Theophilos III

View of the city of Jerusalem where radical settlers are said to try to weaken the Christians' presence. (Photo: World Watch Monitor)

The most senior Christian leader in the Holy Land has accused hardline Jewish settlers of trying to intimidate clergy in Jerusalem’s Old City and acquire church-owned property in an attempt to weaken the Christians’ presence there. In an interview with the Guardian, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, Theophilos III, . . . Read More

Christians in Gaza fear the arrival of Islamic State

April 11, 2018 Palestinian Territories Egypt, Gaza, Islamic State, Israel, Minorities, Palestinian Territories, Sinai

A street in Gaza city showing flags of different Palestinian political groups and factions. (Photo: World Watch Monitor)

Reports that militants of the self-proclaimed Islamic State have entered the Gaza Strip through Egypt and the Sinai Peninsula have created fear among local Christians. Fr Mario da Silva told the Spanish Catholic news website ACI Prensa: “There is now a lot of fear with the news that the Islamic . . . Read More

Palestinian father who lost daughter: ‘Don’t be pro-Palestinian or pro-Israel, be pro-justice’

April 5, 2018 Palestinian Territories Beit Sahour, Bethlehem, Education, Egypt, Gaza, Greek Orthodox, Iraq, Israel, Middle East, Minorities, Palestinian Territories, Syria, West Bank, Youth

George Saadeh is headmaster of a school where children are taught to "have respect for those who think differently than you". (Photo: Open Doors International)

A Palestinian Christian father whose 12-year-old daughter was killed by Israeli soldiers has spoken about the ongoing conflict and his decision to forgive the soldiers who shot her, just over 15 years ago. Violence erupted once again at the weekend along the Israeli border with Gaza, leaving at least 16 . . . Read More

Persecuted Christians celebrate Easter with mixed emotions

April 3, 2018 Global News -- No Particular Country Aleppo, Bashar Warda, Catholics, Easter, Erbil, Gaza, Hanoi, Hmong, Indonesia, Islamic extremism, Islamic State, Israel, Jakarta, Jerusalem, Ludhiana, Maluku, Marawi, Middle East, Mindanao, Minorities, Philippines, Pope Francis, Prince Charles, Southeast Asia, Syria, Vietnam

Flag of Syria is waving as sign of victory over the destroyed heavily damaged city of Aleppo. (Photo: World Watch Monitor)

Easter this year was a time of mixed emotions for the Christians who live under pressure for their faith. While political and religious leaders called for peace, reconciliation and brotherhood, Christians in countries like Syria and the Philippines continued to face violence and its consequences. Below, World Watch Monitor gives . . . Read More

Israel: closure of Christianity’s ‘holiest site’ an ‘alarm signal’

March 9, 2018 Israel Benjamin Netanyahu, Churches, Israel, Jerusalem, Orthodox Jews, Tel Aviv

Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Christianity's 'holiest site', in Jerusalem. (Photo: Larry Koester via Flickr; CC 2.0)

Last week’s closure of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem – Christianity’s ‘holiest site’ – was not just a protest over perceived government intervention; it was an “alarm signal” over the future of the city, according to a church spokesperson. “Can Jerusalem be a holy city for Jews, . . . Read More

Israel: Christianity’s ‘holiest site’ re-opens after tax dispute

February 28, 2018 Israel Benjamin Netanyahu, Churches, Greek Orthodox, Israel, Jerusalem

The doors to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem were re-opened this morning (28 February) after plans to tax church property in Jerusalem were suspended. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced yesterday (27 February) that a team would be formed to “formulate a solution” with the churches’ representatives, . . . Read More

Jerusalem church leaders object to municipal tax levy

February 16, 2018 Israel Greek Orthodox, Israel, Jerusalem, Messianic Jews, Orthodox Jews, Tel Aviv, Theophilos III

Land in Jerusalem is at centre of tensions between municipality and churches. (Photo: World Watch Monitor)

The Jerusalem municipality has announced that churches in the city need to start paying municipal taxes, but church leaders have objected, saying they already “invest billions”. In a statement released yesterday (14 February), the Patriarchs and Church Heads of Jerusalem said charging them taxes “is contrary to the historic position . . . Read More

Do Christians really ‘thrive’ in Israel?

January 26, 2018 Israel Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, Jerusalem, Messianic Jews, Orthodox Jews, Palestinian Territories, Tel Aviv, Theophilos III, USA, West Bank

Jews praying at the Western Wall, Jerusalem. (Photo: World Watch Monitor)

Protests in the southern Israeli town of Dimona have flared up again, two weeks after a meeting centre for Messianic Jews re-opened its doors. The centre was closed in May last year following violent protests by ultra-Orthodox Jews and attacks on the homes of church leaders. Earlier this week a . . . Read More

A Middle Eastern Christian’s view of Pence’s agenda

January 22, 2018 Donald Trump, Egypt, Human rights, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jerusalem, Middle East, Mike Pence, Palestinian Territories, Refugees, Saudi Arabia, Syria, USA, West Bank

A Jordanian Christian trauma counsellor has urged US Vice President Mike Pence to recognise Palestinian statehood to make good his pledge to help Christians in the Middle East. Issam Smeir, who has worked with refugees in the Middle East and in the US, wrote a first-person piece for the Washington . . . Read More

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