in the region where Christians thrive and their numbers increase. In all other countries in the region, all Muslim-Arab countries and territories, the ability of Christians to practice their fair is limited and their numbers decrease.

No Traditionally Muslim countries were NOT more tolerant. To make such a sweeping (and wrong) statement you need to take account of the whole period, locations, define a tolerance scale with quantifiable measures, etc. So is a claim with no merit in fact. There may have been periods where (for example) somewhere in the Muslim world there was greater tolerance then in the christian world, however, these are specific incidents - and you have to remove the myopic lens of Jews and Christians and look at the whole - as they were treated differently then the rest of the population to start with (dhimmi state). The Author suffers from a common availability bias. e.g. We know Jews were kicked out of Spain , had forced conversion, and those who remained were not trusted and persecuted - BUT how many aware that this action was done before the above event to Christians and Jews by the Muslims in the area controlled by the Muslims ?? - you would find most people do not learn of it. The cruelty of the Ottomans is well known and well documented. Slavery under Islamic Countries was much worst , etc, etc. Go do some research.

The extremist intolerance of Christianity in Arabic Islamic countries is NOT due to any connection (much less "tight") between national and religious definition. Rather, it is due to the extremeness, the radical nature, that has come to predominate the religious definition. Yet, the author's point, however accidentally logically, is true -- and no less of the Khareidim Brotherhood than of the Muslim Brotherhood. The danger of the author's logical fallacy, however, is that it falsely implies that "religion" is the problem rather than the perverted definition of religion. And the perverted definition of religion does more damage to the "religious" than to any minority; whether Christian, secular, Arab or moderate Orthodox.

"Until the 20th century a Christian who lived in an Islamic country was far better off than a Muslim who lived in a Christian land. All this changed in the modern age...The Muslim world, on the other hand, tightened the bond between nationalism and Islamism" The British empire set up the psychopath Saudis with the greatest wealth in the world. The British made lots of money, but the Saudis used their money to make Islam what it is today. This is not really different than in Israel, where British greed laid the foundations for the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Today on France24 tv Christian residents of Damascas were interviewed they all supported Assad. They are 2.5 million if they wanted they could make a difference but they are happy with the situation They are like most humans indifferent sometimes to suffering and fall easily into hating others

. Tuto have no interest in being a Christian. His main goal after getting enough to eat, is to be in the limelight, TV and radio. His Christianity opens for his free travels to conferences in other countries.. That's why he is smiling on every picture..

What makes you think that Obama's Jihadis are better than Assad? They support Assad because they have no choice. Everyone knows that if Obama's Sunni Jihadis win, all the Christians of Syria willl be dead. The last chance for the Christians was the SLA. Sadly, the West and Israeli Leftists murdered them during the (Ehud) Barak regime.

...because it knows that minorities are always - ALWAYS! - discriminated and made scapegoats everywhere, As Europeans, we discriminate gypsies, Jews, Muslims, homosexuals, blacks etc. on an everyday basis as if it was the most natural thing in the World. It's the same in North Africa, and on the issue of Egyptian copts, they are neither better nor worse off today than they were under the Mubarak regime. Conclusion: MINORITIES ARE ALWAYS OPPRESSED!!! Always have been and always will be. All over the World.

"This viewpoint is paradoxical, as in both countries the “foreigners” are the members of the majority. In Egypt, just like in Israel, the religious minority was there before the majority. " We were the majority before the Christians or Muslims and are not foreigners. We are natives not the Arabs

What`s that? It startsvery innocently : In Egypt, the Muslim majority burns Christian minorities temples. And then it bifurkates diabolically : Just like in Israel etc...etc....

and stop your fakeness and pretentions! just look at the numbers of xtians in palestine during muslim rule and during jew rule! enough of jew kol nidre bs

Good to see everyone using this article for their own parochial purposes especially if it means attacking Islam. However, Gunnar at 11 seems to be more on target. Where a single, uncompromising ideology - secular or religious - dominates minorities and those who do not agree are in danger. In the 21st century, political Islam is in the ascendancy, but in the past it was Communism, Catholicism and other belief systems. Politics and religion, especially, are an explosive mix - often literally.

supplying them in Syria with all sort of advanced munitions.

quick heads-up for you, ignorant one the only christian population that is growing in the middle east IS IN ISRAEL! israel protects them 100% while they are being slaughtered and eradicated in all muslim lands.

know what you are talking about.

that after oppressing their minorities often viciously, they arrive in the west and demand equal rights, constantly complaining about (generally very mild) discrimination.

Obama and Cameron are Christians, and they are supplying Al Queda with advanced munitions in Syria. So actually, #16 is right

You calling Obama a liar? Right after he was elected to the senate he is on video addressing an audience telling them he was born in Kenya and that he is a Muslim. He is no Christian and if Cameron is dealing with Al Queda it's a sure bet he isn't either. Miron is totally wrong. Obama and Cameron do not represent Christians and can not speak for them.

The writer is a coward by writing "IN COUNTRIES" it's only in "MUSLIM COUNTRIES".

My Egyptian Jewish father spoke highly about the Copts.