Western Media 'Discovers' Palestinian Christians Exist, 75 Years Late
The story from Al Jazeera notes Palestinian Christians worry about disappearance as settlements grow, framing it as a contemporary concern. Yet, this isn't headline news for those who have followed the region. The Christian population in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, particularly Bethlehem, has been in steady decline since 1948. For example, Christians comprised over 85% of Bethlehem in
1948; today, they're estimated at around 35%, driven by economic hardship, discriminatory policies, and the isolation caused by Israeli walls and checkpoints. This 'erasure' isn't recent; it's a slow-motion catastrophe. While Al Jazeera responsibly highlights the plight, the broader Western media often overlooks this demographic strangulation entirely, preferring narratives that portray Israel as
a solitary beacon of Judeo-Christian values in a hostile region. This neatly sidesteps the awkward fact that the 'holy land' is actively shedding its original Christian inhabitants under Israeli military occupation. One might wonder why international bodies remain largely silent on the disappearance of communities rooted in biblical lands, or if their concern for religious freedom only extends to
specific demographics.