By Irene Lagan
Herald Staff Report
(From the issue of 6/19/03)

In the place where tradition holds that Jesus was born, Christians are rapidly become a remnant, a mere fraction of the population. While the emigration of Christians from Bethlehem and other parts of the Holy Land has been ongoing since the 1967 Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, there has been a sharp increase in emigration in the last two years.

Franciscan Father Ajmad Sabbara, pastor of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, recently traveled from the Holy Land to the United States to raise awareness of the plight of Christians in Bethlehem. During an interview last week at the Holy Land Christian Society in McLean, Father Sabbara said that since the Sepember 2002 Palestinian uprising, more than 1,500 Christians have left Bethlehem. This number is significant, since the remaining 11,000 Christians constitute less than three percent of the total population.

Since the Israeli occupation of Bethlehem, curfews and sieges have forced many Palestinians from their homes. Israeli checkpoints and violence have choked off tourism, forcing Christians who run the hotels, restaurants and other businesses that rely on visitors, to close. With a 60 percent unemployment rate, human rights violations and constant humiliation of restrictions that make daily life increasingly difficult, an ever increasing number of Christians are leaving Bethlehem in search of employment and better opportunities for economic and social justice.

Palestinian Christians, though historically a minority population, constitute an important part of culture amidst their Muslim and Jewish brethren in the Holy Land. Father Sabbara explained that many Americans are not aware that the indigenous Christian population, which faces the threat of extinction, is part of the living history of the Church and of the culture.

"We are not a museum Church," Father Sabbara said. "We are the living stones. What we need most is solidarity with other Christians."

Despite their historical and ecclesial significance, Palestinian Christians struggle for their identity. The impact and influence of Christianity is particularly evident in institutions such as schools and hospitals that have shaped culture in the Holy Land. As more Christians leave, schools and hospitals that form an important part of society also face extinction.

In an effort to support Christian residents and with the help of the Vatican and the Spanish government, the Franciscan community has established medical and food assistance programs, a job creation program and a housing project to rebuild homes destroyed by fighting.

The Christian presence also plays an important role politically as leaders work to negotiate an end to the violence. As one of the three Abrahamic faiths, Christians share a common heritage with both Jews and Muslims. At the same time, as followers of Christ who preached peace and non-violent means to bring about reform, Christians are important bridge builders between Jews and Muslims.

"We are a culture of peace and of pardon," Father Sabbara explained. "We speak the language of peace and are trying to form our young people to be open to the culture of peace."

Father Sabbara said ongoing dialogue among Muslim and Christian religious leaders is essential for establishing a culture of peace. During the 39-day siege of the Church of the Nativity, dialogue and collaboration were critical in bringing about a resolution to the conflict. When 240 Palestinians sought refuge inside the church from Israeli snipers, 32 friars from three different communities, the Franciscans, the Greek Orthodox and the Armenians, cooperated with each other to counsel and care for the Palestinians and for the church entrusted to their safekeeping. The combined communities refused to turn Palestinians over to the Israelis, reminding them that many Jews found refuge in Christian churches during the Holocaust.

"The first impulse when someone shoots is to shoot back. We tried to keep the peace, tried to keep people inside calm," Father Sabbara said.

Throughout the siege Father Sabbara said there were many signs of God’s presence and believes that divine intervention helped bring about solution. When the Israelis shut off the water and electricity, one pipe of good drinking water continued to flow for the duration of the siege. One room in the entire compound also had electricity, allowing them to maintain contact with the outside world. Father Sabbara said a personal phone call from Pope John Paul II gave them the courage to continue faithfully to the end.