The Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs (HPCCA) in Palestine has accused Israel of systematically eroding the Christian presence in the Holy Land, pointing to decades of displacement, land confiscation, and restrictions on church institutions.
According to the Committee, the Christian population in the occupied Palestinian territories has dropped sharply—from around 12.5 percent before 1948 to about one percent today. Palestinian officials attribute this decline to what they describe as Israeli policies of ethnic cleansing, forced displacement, and repression.
Ambassador Tamer Almassri, a spokesperson for the Committee, said nearly 90,000 Palestinian Christians were displaced during the 1948 Nakba, while approximately 30 churches have since been closed. He also noted that at least 44 Palestinian Christians have been killed in the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
The Committee highlighted damage to Christian sites during recent Israeli bombardments, including strikes near the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Porphyrius—believed to be one of the oldest churches in the world—and the Catholic Holy Family Church. Other Christian institutions, such as Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital and the Orthodox Arab Cultural and Social Center, have also been affected, worsening humanitarian conditions for Gaza’s small Christian community.
In Jerusalem, the Committee accused Israel of undermining church institutions through measures such as freezing Orthodox Patriarchate accounts, imposing heavy taxes on church-owned properties, and seizing Armenian church lands. In Bethlehem, officials said illegal settlement expansion, military checkpoints, and the separation barrier have isolated the city while reducing Christian-owned lands.
Almassri also rejected recent comments by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the United Nations General Assembly, in which Netanyahu said Israel protects Christian communities. The Committee described the remarks as misleading, claiming that current policies contribute to the gradual disappearance of Christians from the region.
“The protection of the Christian presence in Palestine is not only a local issue, but a global human, moral, and legal responsibility,” the Committee said in a statement, calling on the international community to intervene and hold Israel accountable.
Israel has long denied allegations of targeting Christians, arguing instead that it safeguards religious freedoms and protects holy sites for all faiths.
