The reality for Christians in the Jewish State is in stark contrast to that in the neighbouring Arab countries.
Although their presence is small and in decline in terms of its percentage within the Country’s population, their numbers are on the increase and unlike in Arab states, Christians come from a number of different countries.
Demographical data on the Christian population residing in the State, published by the central statistics Office on occasion of the recent Christmas celebrations, shows a similar trend. These figures estimate the total number of Christians in Israel at 154.000.
This does not however include the numerous foreign workers with temporary work permits, or it seems, Arab Christians residing in Eastern Jerusalem (including the old town) who do not have Israeli citizenship despite residing in formally annexed territories.
This is a significant, though extremely modest number and accounts for over 2% of the population. What is even more significant however, is the composition of the Christian population.
80% of the population is made up of Palestinian Arabs who are especially numerous in the northern parts of the Country which is their traditional settlement area, Nazareth in particular.
Despite this, it is interesting to note that 20% of the Israeli Christian population is made up of faithful of different descents. This was unthinkable a few years ago.
This becomes even more significant if we compare figures relating to the emigration of Christian citizens. These figures are in fact higher that the national average. Here too it is important to make a distinction: While emigration figures are very high among Palestinians who have an Israeli passport, these witness a significant drop in the other section, composed of converted Jews or Christians married to Jewish citizens. There were many such cases during the immigration to Israel after the fall of the Soviet Union.
However, some less positive news has come from recent decisions by political and judicial leaders of the Jewish State. There mainly seem to be two decisions that have caused discontent among the Christian and Catholic hierarchies in the Country.
The first one is a law that is extremely restrictive in relation to immigration and was passed by the Israeli Parliament to try to block frequent infiltrations by African migrants (particularly from the Sudan and the Horn of Africa), who enter into Jewish State territory via Sinai. The law which attracted hard criticisms from the liberal press and public opinion in Israel prescribes prolonged detention sentences for migrants and even for those who offer then assistance.
In the same dangerously illiberal vein, a sentence was recently pronounced by the Supreme Court of Jerusalem, determining the constitutional legitimacy of a legislative provision, up until now used in emergency situations, that denies Israeli citizenship to spouses of Israeli citizens from Arab territories and Countries that are considered hostile.
A law aimed at preserving the State’s Jewishness and preventing a silent demographic invasion from the West Bank and Gaza, which is close to infringing the boundaries of liberal democratic legitimacy. AsiaNews, the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions’ portal, has in fact expressed its firm opposition to the law.
On a brighter note, the diplomatic negotiations between the Holy See and the Israeli government seem more positive, though they essentially remain static. These negotiations are to do with fiscal exemption and the tax system which ecclesiastical assets, present within the state borders, are subject to.
There are also negotiations going on with regard to the age-old problems concerning visas for clerics and foreigners and finally, the century-old question of the Cenacle.
In relation to this significant and ancient list of demands, the Apostolic Nuncio to Israel, Mgr. Antonio Franco, recently highlighted yet again, the possibility of a positive and quick evolution, in particular with regard to the Cenacle. He also stressed, however, that an agreement seems far off yet.
Although they have regained stability during recent years, relations between the Israeli and Catholic worlds as a whole, seem to be suffering from a confessional regression within Israeli society.
There are some positive signs however, particularly in the field of religious freedom, which despite the drift just mentioned, is still fully guaranteed within the confines of the Jewish State.