Israeli government continues to construct homes for Jews in areas traditionally inhabited by Christians, reports AsiaNews

TEL AVIV — Amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, the plight of Christians in the Holy Land has largely been overlooked. A report by Dario Salvi for AsiaNews, official press agency of the Roman Catholic Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions, highlights the severe impact the conflict is having on the Christian community’s existence.

“The conflict in Gaza, the attacks by Jewish extremists and the attempted expropriation of Christian property are also joined by the acceleration on settlements by the Israeli government, confirmed by the words spoken in recent days by a senior executive,” Salvi writes.

“The area targeted by the new illegal settlement includes a UNESCO World Heritage site and has long been in the crosshairs of Israeli authorities, particularly the radical and religious right faction headed by Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.”

The report underscores the sensitivity of the situation, emphasizing that the Christian presence in the region is under existential threat.

“There is no future for our children here and the situation is dramatic,” said Fr. Ibrahim Faltas, vicar of the Custody of the Holy Land.

Since the beginning of the war, over 70 Christian families have been displaced from Bethlehem alone, with more fleeing from Jerusalem. Local residents express a bleak outlook for their future, with one stating that there is no future for their children in the region, and another warning that the Holy Land, including Bethlehem, Jerusalem, and the West Bank, is in grave danger without its Christian population.

The West Bank, which has been occupied by Israel since 1967, is now home to more than 700,000 Israeli settlers, despite the lack of recognition for their settlements from the United Nations.