The latest poll from the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research shows contradictory results of how much discrimination Palestinian Christians feel from their Muslim neighbors and the Muslim-majority Palestinian Authority
While the 70% say they feel fully integrated into Palestinian society, when they answer more detailed questions this high number is not supported by facts.
For example, 44% say that discrimination exists against Christians applying for private sector jobs, 29% feel “hated” by Muslim citizens, and 70% have heard Muslims say that Christians will all go to Hellfire. 27% say they or their families have been cursed by Muslims (called “crusader” or “infidel”) in only the past year.
Only 16% are satisfied with how the PA educational system teaches about Christianity and 76% are dissatisfied. 77% are concerned about religious Salafist Muslims, and two thirds are concerned that Palestinian law incorporates Islamic law as a basis of legislation. A similar number are concerned over Islamist groups like Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
Some 36% of Christians consider emigrating, a much higher number than Muslims who want to emigrate. They say that economic reasons are the major driver, but Palestinian Muslims have identical economic issues, so there is more going on. The percentage of Christians has gone down from 11% in the beginning of the British Mandate to about 1% under Palestinian rule today.
77% have relatives who have emigrated already, and 12% have relatives who emigrated in only the past year.
Most tellingly, more than half of those who answered think that Christians will disappear altogether from Palestine within 20 years. People who feel fully integrated into Palestinian society would not feel that way.
Which means that their acceptance of being second class citizens – dhimmis - is so much a part of their mindset that they are unwilling to admit, even to themselves, how unhappy they are living with the Muslim majority.