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An Independent Christian Voice in Israel

(Israel Hayom) Dror Eydar - The vast majority of the Middle East region was conquered in the seventh century by tribes hailing from the Arabian Peninsula. They imposed their religion, their culture and their language on the indigenous population and claimed ownership of the land. At the "Israeli Christians: Breaking Free?" conference in Jerusalem, Rev. Gabriel Naddaf, a Greek Orthodox priest in Nazareth and spiritual leader of the Israeli Christian Recruitment Forum, said, "The Christian public wants to integrate into Israeli society, against the wishes of its old leadership. There are those who keep pushing us to the margins, keeping us the victims of a nationalism that is not our own, and of a conflict that has nothing to do with us." Naddaf spoke of the Christian roots planted deep in this land since the dawn of Christianity. The Christian faith, he said, came out of the Jewish faith and its biblical roots. As far as Naddaf is concerned, the Christians also suffered from the seventh century Arab invasion. He said the realization that Israel is the only country in the region that protects its Christian minority has prompted many Arabic-speaking Israeli Christians to develop a desire to contribute to the State of Israel. Maj. Ihab Shlayan, the founder of the Forum, said: "The Christians will not be made into hostages, or allow themselves to be controlled by those who wish to impose their nationality, religion and way of life upon us....We want to live in Israel - brothers in arms and brothers in peace. We want to stand guard and serve as the first line of defense in this Holy Land, the Land of Israel." Lt. (ret.) Shaadi Khalloul spoke of his Aramaic Christian identity, adding, "The typical Christian student thinks that he belongs to the Arab people and the Islamic nation, instead of speaking to the people with whom he truly shares his roots - the Jewish people, whose origins are in the Land of Israel." Rev. Naddaf added, "It is unthinkable that our children will be raised on the history of the nakba and on the hatred of Jews, and not be taught their history." The Christian communities' march toward the heart of the Israeli consensus is important to Israel's efforts to prove our rights to the world. When Israeli Christians stand by the State of Israel and declare that this is the Land of Israel and not Palestine, and that Jews did not steal this land but rather returned home as the Bible prophesied, it has immeasurable significance.
2013-10-11 00:00:00
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