I read Mr. Hagan's article with interest because its the first time I have seen any notice taken by the foriegn press of the Christians' sufferings under the mis-rule of the corrupt Palestine Authority . I am Jewish, but visited Bethlehem when it was under Israeli administration .Tthere was then a noticeable Christian presence in the town. Mr Hagan also does not mention the siege in the Church of the Nativity just a few years ago, in which desecration of the church and abuse of the priests to my astonishment was almost totally ignored by the Christian world

Billy John Hagan is a lying provocateur. Come to the city of Bethlehem and see for yourself. As for Taybeh it was a case of revenge and murder. The victim's family attacked the perpetrators family. Why did they not burn the brewery? Get your facts straight buddy this is a load of crap. Shame on you Ynet.

the Christians who are anti-Semites and who have divested from Israel deserve it. What goes around comes around. This I say to the knee jerk, bleeding heart liberal left who turned their backs against Israel and the silent right who have refused to confront Bush on his dastardly bankrupt polices towards Israel and of his whitewashing and legitimizing Abbas and his people. When the murderous Arafat was alive and not allowed to go to Christmas Mass the Catholic church in Bethlehem placed a sign on an empty chair which read: "His Excellency Yassir Arafat." Well now what I say to the leaders of the Catholic church who have stood silent while Jews were being slaughtered by Palestinian savages, tough shit. Cry me a river! My prediction and it is a horrible one is that one of these days the Palestinians will build a mosque upon Manger Square and there will be nothing left for Christains. Furthermore, when you feed a rabid dog, the dog always bites back. Such foolish behavior by my Christian breathren is appalling. By the most part Christians have fallen all to silent. They choose their sides, they made their beds and now they will sadly and ironically have to sleep in them. Sadly it won't be a Merry Christmas for Christians in the Holy Land. But then........... I stand with Israel not party lines or to foolish and dangerous hate mongering. This time Israel will not be the scapegoat of their stupidity. It is all their fault. Happy Chanukah Israel!

The author does not tell anything about the agression done by the israelis towards christians in Bethlehem. neither the many christians that have been killed by the IDF at the time of invasion. This article is full of lies. The only reason why we christians leave Bethlehem is because of the Israeli occupation and the killing machine of the IDF. I think that the author didn't bother to come and ask somebody from Bethlehem so as to know what is going on. All the land that belong to christians from "jerusalem" until Rachel's tomb was confiscated by the Israelis while it was known for centuries that this land until Telpiot belongs to the christians of Bethlehem. I don't know from where did the author who is from rural Georgia inspired his article. STOP LYING TO THE WHOLE WORLD

this is just the continued history of what has been going on for years! Look at the history of the area not just in Israel but the surrounding countries! look at the Village of Damour and how the Muslem forces under Arafat killed ,raped and then defiled the church and used the captured people for human blood banks. the Christians in Israel have it better then any in the surrounding countries. but they are being forced out by their Muslem brother arabs! forced to sell thier stores etc, anyone who says it isn't happening is either blind or a lying sack. Ask the Austrialian Embassy why Christian Arabs flock to them requesting visas!

This article is part of a conspiracy led by zionism to undermine the christian existence in the Holy Land. It is a two step project first getting rid of the weaker part being the palestinian christians and then deal with the moslems. Remember it is the Zionist slogan " A land with no people for a people with no land." the land was taken and now it is time for population cleansing.

from legitimate sources! Tell us of this so-called Israeli aggression to Christians. WAITING!! Tell us. Cite sources. Give proof. You know it and so does the world that If not for the Israelis there would be nothing for Christians in the Holy Land.

Love how you talk of Zionist conspiraces and Zionist this and Zionist that but never not once proving it from a 100% certifiable source. Never once citing where this is written. When did it happen. What history book did you read this in. Of course you can't and we all know it. Just thought I would let you know.

The problem is that until Christians tell the whole truth the birthplace of Christ remains in deep jepordy. THE WHOLE TRUTH MUST BE TOLD. William Hagan only told half the story and there lies the tragedy. Why Mr. Hagan did you not mention the siege of the Church of the nativity? Why? Why did you not write of the corruption within the Palestinain Aurhtority and the deep hate towards Christians throughout the entire Muslim world? Ah, perhaps to leave a door of suspecion and falsehoods once again at the door of PERCIEVED evil Jews!! What are we as Jews to think of this?

First, as the author in #5 points out there is no Palestine. Bethlehem is located in Israel. Look on any world map for Palestine and you won't find it. While Palestine was the name used for the British controlled area, the area is historically known as Israel or Judea. Secondly, the first Christians were not those mentioned in the article. Chritianity did not orginate until long after Jesus died. Christianity as a religion did not arise until long after the death was recorded. The predominant religion ofthe area at that time was Judaism.

Israel has one ultimate goal in the occupied territories, make the life of the palestinians so hard that they have only in mind to go out of this hell where you can't make 10 miles without being checked at roadblocks. The system imposed in the WB has been designed to concentrate the Arab in cantons where they are like prisoners with daily authorization to quit. But they have to be nice because the IDF can “close” the Bantustans. This is the passive transfer of Sharon that know that in 2005 it is no more possible to do like in 48. And today the ethnic cleaners are blaming the victims of expelling their neighbours. Bethlehem has been encircled by the wall, the army is making daily invasions to arrest… arabs. How many “collateral damage” of “targeting killings” ?? Who care they are all terrorists !!! The reason why the Christian Palestinian population has dropped from 20% to 2% is the fact that they are richer and have the means of leaving their country and starting again a life far from daily oppression.

i have many christian freinds in palestine and the only complain they have is the zionist occupation , the zionists are the ones who are trying to get them to leave and not the muslems

There are so many shameful distortions of the truth and outright lies in this opinion piece to list. But let us try. First, Mr. Hagan's terminology is grossly misleading. He refers to Christian Palestinians as "Christians" and Muslim Palestinians as "Palestinians." However, Christian Arabs (and Armenians) in Palestine are also Palestinians. The term Palestinian does not only refer to Muslims. This is not only incorrect of Mr. Hagan, but also harmful. He is playing upon people's prejudices by using Christian to code as white, European, and "like us," contrasting them with "the Palestinians," which code as the Muslim, dark, and undesirable other. The underlying tone of racism is clear also in his foreboding discussion of the dwindling percentages of the Christian population and how, God forbid, Muslims are becoming majorities in formerly Christian-majority towns. Second, even though there are Christians leaving Palestine, this is largely due to the crimes of the Israeli Occupation. I don't wish to defend the PNA, but had Mr. Hagan done his homework, he would have discovered that many Palestinian Christians were actually moving back to Palestine during the years of Oslo. Christians and Muslims alike have been persecuted, and killed, by the Israeli Occupation regime. And thousands of Muslims and Christians will tell you that would like to emigrate, not because they don't want to stay in their homeland, but because of the lack of opportunities and the oppression at the hands of the Israeli military. But Christians have more opportunities to leave. Muslims tend to be denied visas, thanks to the currently hostile environment in Western countries vis-a-vis Muslims. Christians are more likely to get visas. Also, the average standard of living for Christians is higher than for Muslims. Thus, a greater proportion of them have the financial means to leave. Moreover, his numbers are wrong. Yes, the percentage of Christian have dropped "in the Holy Land." But he is comparing apples with oranges. In the early part of the century, they approached 20% of the population of Palestine. Now, they are roughly 15-18% of the population of Palestinians. Not a huge drop (though numbers are dwindling). But he is forgetting the creation of this little thing called Israel. When you add Israel's five million or more Jewish citizens to the population of "the Holy Land," then the percentage of Christians out of the entire population of Palestine/Israel drops. I think two percent is low. I believe if you do the math you will get about 8%, but of course this is also due to the large influx of Jews. There is discrimination against Christians. I will not deny that. But it is not conducted by 98% of the population, as Mr. Hagan suggests. In a coninuation of his racist line of argument, he implies that all Muslims actively discriminate against Christians. Damn them, the dark Muslim masses. Also, let us not forget that forget that Christians also discriminate against Muslims. As in every society, friction runs both ways. I come from a Christian Palestinian background and I know full well the kinds of stereotypes and racist attitudes that many Christian Palestinians hold toward Muslims. And yet, without attempting to fabricate utopia, by and large Christians and Muslims live in harmony in Palestine. But there are problems like with any community. One only need look at Israel and the racism of many European Jews toward Arab Jews and Ethiopian Jews. Or we could look to America with her racism and inter-racial frictions. We can go on and on. This whole piece is intended to paint a picture of a sympathetic "white" Christian community under attack by barbaric Muslims. You should be ashamed of yourself, Mr. Hagan, for your lies and racism. If you like, come with Palestine with me and I will show you a different side of it.

Rather, I will show you the truth.

And don't forget the fact that at least some Christians leave because of THEIR OWN racism toward Muslims. It's like in the U.S., where when whites see African-Americans or Hispanics moving into predominately white neighborhood, some leave because of their own racist attitudes toward minorities.

Isn't it interesting that all of the residents from Bethlehem writing in response to this agree that Hagan's article is rubbish?

apologist arab brethren: statistics don't lie - the christian population of the territories has dropped from 50,000 to 30,000 in the last 10 years, and it is only under the plo's occupation, since 1997, that the christians in bethlehem have been reduced from a majority to a minority of 20%. it is the plo occupation, with its terrorism and corruption, that has impoverished the arabs of palestine, not the israelis.

Reading about the plight of the Palestinian Christians although disturbing and distressing comes as no surprise. It is high time the Western world woke up to the reality of Islam. Islam is not a benign benevolent faith which is caracterised by tolerance, rather the opposite. It is diabolical what is going on when one considers the huge amount of support generally given to Palestinian Muslims and lack of support given to Jewish Israel. I am a Christian Zionist and support the right of the Jewish state to exist. I am convinced the Jewish state of Israel is by Divine decree and suffering will be caused by those who support the propaganda of those who oppose her. Shalom Charlene

All;pali christians living in arab land have always displayed a very nationalistic pro muslim view in order to survive... That system ackwardly worked till the 1950's With the appearance of "modern"arab states, christian minority decreased in all places Disapearance of christianity in Betlehem is just the final touch of a long term process About the responsability of the so called israeli "occupation,suffice to consider the growing wealthy christian community in Eretz Israel Look what is happening in Nazareth that christians begin to leave in order to live in neighbouring jewish nazareth elit

Right-wing "Christian Zionists" apply a lot of zeal and hard cash in supporting Israel, and I know that is (mostly) appreciated. It would be great if they could apply some of the same zeal (and cash) to supporting Christians across both Israel and Palestine. We really need to strengthen the Christian communities in both countries, and stem the exodus of Christians to easier lives in the West. That would certainly be more useful than the anti-Muslim diatribe I've just read.

Articles that report facts cannot be disputed factually or logically. This was seen in the aftermath of 9-11 when Islamists made up the lie that the attack was coordinated by Israeli souces and supposedly Jews who worked in the building were warned to stay away. So in the case of hard facts about the persecution of the infidel Christians in Bethlehem,, liarss such as aa and Issa make up stories about Christians leaving Bethlehem because of the Israeli occupation. But this seems to be a function of the Islamist (not Islamic) identification with an immoral and primitive philosophy. In this way, they are blasphemers of their noble religion.

My numbers were a little sloppy, true. I did some research and found that, though no estimates on this are very reliable, about 3-6% are Christian. Not considerable, but more than 2%. It also depends upon what the frame of reference is, just Palestinians or everyone in Palestine/Israel? Your number of 30,000 in all of the OPT is most certainly incorrect. That would put it at .7%, definitely much lower than any numbers I have seen. And you're simply incorrect that the hemorrhage started with Oslo. It's been going on for many decades. Be careful with your numbers. I of course will try. But the point really is to ask why they are leaving. Corruption and a brutal PNA are certainly there, but most Palestinian Christians tend to leave because of the brutality of the occupation. And so, I might add, do Palestinian Muslims, when they can get out. Don't paint this, please, as a holy war of Muslims against Christians. Are we to explain Muslim migration from Palestine as the result of Muslim discrimination against Christians? This is about colonialism and oppression and much more.

JOHN,BILLINGS MONTANA, HELLO JOHN, WHAT EVER GAVE YOU THE IDEA THAT SUCH A CULT-LIKE , RITUALISTIC, PSUEDO-HOLY, PEDOFILE INFESTED CHURCH COULD IN SOME WAY REPRESENT CHRISTIANITY? A PERSON WOULD EXPERIENCE MORE CHRISTIANITY AT A LOCAL BAR THAN THEY WOULD FROM WITHIN THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH. I GREW UP IN IT. IT IS FALSE, CORRUPT, DEVOID OF COMPASSION ,ARROGANT,PERVERSE AND IS GOING RIGHT WHERE IT BELONGS..........DESTROYED!!!

please use the distinction between catholics and Christians. Not all catholics are Christian and not all Christians are catholic.

As a a Christian "stone," i.e., a Christian with roots in Palestine, I found William John Hagan's seeming "concern" for Christian Palestinians vile. Why don't we let Palestinian Christians speak for themselves about Muslim-Christian relations? Hagan writes about a "pogrom" in Taybeh and quotes a report from Daniel Pipes. What did the parish priest, Father Raed Abu Sahliyeh in Taybeh say when addressing the incident? "I reject the newspapers and the people who spoke about an attack by Muslims against Christians. I will repeat this a million times: We are Arabs, we are Palestinians and we are Christian since 2,000 years. This is a small biblical village. We have lived in peace with surrounding Muslim villages for 14 centuries." Hagan notes blames economic oppression of Christians on Muslims and chided the mayor of Bethlehem, Victor Batarseh. "His message is a simple one. Christians are welcome to visit Palestine and spend their money; they are just not welcome to live there." This statement defies credulity since Batarseh is a Roman Catholic. Furthermore, Batarseh, in a recent interview with the National Catholic Reporter blames the occupation for the economic decline of Bethlehem when he says, "The bad times under the recent Israeli aggression have led to enormous pain and suffering for Bethlehem and to unprecedented deterioration in its situation." Wouldn't it be more responsible for Canada Free Press to give space to Palestinian priests and mayors to address the issues of economic decline and Muslim-Christian relations in the Holy Land other than someone with nothing other than a mandate to vilify Muslims and to propagate pernicious Zionist propaganda? If Christians have left Palestine in great numbers since 1948, it is because they traditionally have comprised the merchant class, have had access to better education, and thus have availed themselves of the opportunity to flee Israeli oppression. http://www.comeandsee.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=677 http://www.stolaf.edu/people/leming/soc265rel/news/April_1.html#A8237.html http://www.natcath.com/NCR_Online/archives2/2005d/122305/122305p.php Nancy Harb Almendras Wiesbaden, Germany

Historical documentation demonstrates that the first Christmas was no earlier than 336 C.E., when the Christian Church adopted the birthday of the Persian sun-god, Mithra, which was Dec. 25. Before that, there was no Christmas. Christmas is just another of the many pagan practices syncretized by the early Christian church, which modern Christians ASSUME had some connection to the first century Pharisee Ribi named Yehoshua. If you want truth, documentation and facts, see http://www.netzarim.co.il/Museum/Sukkah09/Christmas.htm Yirmeyahu Ben-David Paqid 16, The Netzarim www.netzarim.co.il

Palestinian Christians: persecuted, betrayed and sacrificed The Palestinian Christian is an endangered species. When the modern state of Israel was established there were about 400000 of us. Two years ago the number was down to 80000. Now it’s down to 60000. At that rate, in a few years there will be none of us left. When this happens non Christian groups will move into our churches and claim them for ever. I FEAR THAT WHEN/IF THE LAST PALESTINIAN CHRISTIAN LEAVES EXTREME GROUPS WILL MOVE INSTANTLY TO OUR CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS AND HAVE A FIELD DAY HATCHING WORLD PLOTS. IT WOULD BE TOO LATE FOR BUSH (OR KERRY) TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT !! Palestinian Christians within Israel fare little better. On the face of it, their number has grown by 20000 since 1991. But this is misleading, for the census classification ‘Christian’ includes some 20000 recent non-Arab migrants from the former Soviet Union. So why are Palestinian Christians abandoning their homeland? We have lost hope, that’s why. We are treated as non-people. Few outside the Middle East even know we exist, and those who do, conveniently forget. I refer, of course, to the American Religious Right. They see the modern Israel as a harbinger of the Second Coming, at which time Christians will go to Paradise, and all others (presumably including Jews) to Hell. To this end they lend military and moral support to Israel. Even by the double-dealing standards of international diplomacy this is a breathtakingly cynical bargain. It is hard to know who is using whom more: the Christian Right for offering secular power in the expectation that the Jewish state will be destroyed by a greater spiritual one; or the Israeli Right for accepting their offer. What we do know is that both sides are abusing the Palestinians. Apparently we don’t enter into anyone’s calculations. The views of the Israeli Right are well known: they want us gone. Less well known are the views of the American Religious Right. Strangely, they find the liberation of Iraqis from a vile dictator just, but do not find it unjust for us to be under military occupation for 38 long years. Said Senator James Inhofe (R-Oklahoma): ‘God Appeared to Abraham and said: “I am giving you this land,”the West Bank. This is not a political battle at all. It is a contest over whether or not the word of God is true.’ House Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-Texas) was even more forthright: ’I'm content to have Israel grab the entire West Bank… I happen to believe that the Palestinians should leave.’ There is a phrase for this. Ethnic cleansing. So why do American Christians stand by while their leaders advocate the expulsion of fellow Christians? Could it be that they do not know that the Holy Land has been a home to Christians since, well… since Christ? Do not think I am asking for special treatment for Christians. Ethnic cleansing is evil whoever does it and to whomever it is done. Palestinian Christians: Anglican, Maronite Catholics, Orthodox, Lutherans, Armenians, Baptists, Copts and Assyrians have been rubbing shoulders with each other and with other religions: Muslims, Jews, Druze and (most recently) Baha’is for centuries. We want to do so for centuries more. But we can’t if we are driven out by despair. We are equally frightened by those who commit suicide bombings.None of us Christians have condoned it or even contemplated the idea. Our commitment to Jesus teachings will never shake our resolve in this matter. What we seek is support: material, moral, political and spiritual. As Palestinians we grieve for what we have lost, and few people (the Ashkenazi Jews are one) have lost more than us. But grief can be assuaged by the fellowship of friends. (Signed Prof. Abe W. Ata is a 9th generation Christian Palestinian academic born in Bethlehem.)