The Christian population in the State of Israel

In light of repeated insinuations implying that the number of Christians in the State of Israel [1] is diminishing, table I - excerpted from the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics - is proof of the contrary. It demonstrates that the rate of population increase amongst Israeli Christians is more or less on par with that of Israeli Jews, with whom they share socio-economic characteristics.

Variances can be found in the early 1950s vis-à-vis the Jewish population, thanks to the mass arrival and absorption of refugees from Arab countries and Europe following the War of Independence. Another variance occurred after the Six Days War, with the rise and population shifts of Moslem and Christian population to Israel. A third and most dramatic set of variances occurred in the 1990s, during the massive immigration from the former states of the Soviet Union that brought about an accelerated rise in Jews and Christians. This immigration included a large number of Russian Christians for whom Israel was originally conceived of as a way station; many, however, chose to remain here and become full-fledged citizens – serving in the military forces and integrating into the State’s society and economy, regardless of their religion.

Table II describes the dispersal of Christians throughout the State of Israel.

The increased rate of population rise in the major economic areas (Tel Aviv, the central region, Haifa.) during the period 1995-2008 may be ascribed to the influx of non-Arab Christians – primarily foreign workers and Russian immigrants.

The Christian population in Jerusalem

Table III details the population of Jerusalem over the past ten-year period.

Once again, the steady rise in Christian population reflects that of the Jewish population.

The drop in 1995 may be ascribed to the transfer of some areas to Palestinian Administration control – an event that has caused a drop in the Christian population throughout such areas due to political, social and para-military activities within the PA and beyond the control of the State of Israel.

TABLE I

Christian presence in Israel 1949-2007

TABLE II

Distribution of Christians in Israel 

TABLE III

Christian presence in Jerusalem 1988-2008

[1] Many church dignitaries use the term Holy Land in not only its pure theological–religious sense, but also when they describe socio-demographical implications of political conflicts. We would like to point out that the term Holy Land lacks any modern geographical or political definition. Hence it would be wrong to refer to the Holy Land as a general entity in which any persecution of Christians or immigration occurs. The Holy Land may embrace all those places that witnessed the events described in either the Old or New Testaments. This would also mean Turkey, Egypt and Iraq, in addition to Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority. Therefore, to speak about the persecution or immigration of Christians from the Holy Land is doing an injustice to Israel and Jordan, as those countries have never hosted such occurrences. As shown above, the presence of Christians in Israel and in Jerusalem has not only remained stable since 1967, but is increasing in real terms.