I have never seen an article like this in Arabic before.
In fact, it is not even conceivable that the Washington Post, New York Times, Time magazine, Reuters or CNN would ever write this.
From LebanonOn, platforming an article originally published in the anti-Hezbollah Nidaa al-Watan:
Why is the number of Christians increasing in Israel despite their decline in the Middle East?
"We protect and we build" is not merely a slogan; it is presented as a defining characteristic of a segment of Christians in Israel, who are recognized as active members of society through service, education, and civic engagement. While the Christian presence in the Middle East is experiencing a significant decline due to emigration and unrest, Israel enjoys relative stability and growth in its Christian population. Educational institutions affiliated with Christian denominations operate within a global educational system that has contributed to the emergence of successive generations of highly educated graduates.Christianity is the third largest religion in Israel, with approximately 185,000 Christians by the end of 2022, representing 1.9% of the population. They are primarily concentrated in the north of the country. Israel recognizes ten Christian churches within its denominational system, granting them authority over personal status matters such as marriage and divorce. Data confirms that freedom of religious practice is guaranteed without restrictions for all denominations.Data indicates a growing Christian presence in Israeli society, both in the civilian and military spheres. The number of Christian recruits in the Israeli army tripled in 2025 compared to previous years, with hundreds already serving. Lieutenant Colonel Ihab Shleian, the highest-ranking Christian officer in the army in 2021, was quoted as saying that Christians are "at the forefront of defending Israel, alongside Jews and Druze."In the field of education, Christian schools achieve high results, with a high school graduation rate of 84% among their students in 2022, exceeding the national average. Graduates of these schools also achieve top scores on national examinations. Data shows that more than half of Christians in Israel have a higher education, with a significant percentage holding advanced degrees.Christians in Israel enjoy religious freedom, including the freedom to worship, proselytize, and manage religious and educational institutions, as well as to publicly celebrate their faith. The 1967 Law for the Protection of Holy Places criminalizes the desecration of religious sites or obstructing access to them. Despite this legal framework guaranteeing religious freedom, there has been a recent increase in anti-Christian incidents. These include the arrest of two soldiers for spitting on an Armenian archbishop and pilgrims, the vandalism of a Maronite center during Christmas, and the writing of racist graffiti on buildings in the Armenian Quarter. Israeli authorities have investigated all of these incidents, and the perpetrators have been held accountable.In contrast, Christians in a number of Middle Eastern countries face significant challenges, ranging from legal restrictions to acts of violence. In Yemen, only a few thousand Christians remain, and they cannot practice their rituals openly, facing threats of violence and arbitrary arrest. In Turkey, there have been reports of the deportation of hundreds of peaceful Christians under the pretext of "national security," restrictions are imposed on the training of clergy, obstacles are placed in the way of building places of worship, and the rights of Protestants to bury their dead are not protected, while Hagia Sophia and the Chora Church have been converted into mosques.Other countries in the region have also witnessed the destruction of historical Christian sites, as happened in Iraq and Syria at the hands of ISIS, as part of targeting the Christian presence, while Christians in Syria continue to face violence, and in Egypt, Coptic churches have been subjected to bloody attacks.
It mentions the recent incident of IDF soldiers desecrating the statue of Jesus and on eother, noted that the IDF held the soldiers accountable, and added:
Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said in a speech during a conference for senior army officers that "the immoral incidents we have witnessed are the result of a long and complex period, but they do not justify them," stressing that "we must not compromise our values, and that the erosion of standards may be as dangerous as operational threats," addressing the attendees by saying: "Is this the army you want? This is a rebellion against the values of the Israeli army."Zamir stated that "the phenomenon of looting and breaking religious symbols, if it exists, is shameful and may tarnish the reputation of the entire Israeli army, and if such incidents occur, we will investigate them."
The existence of an article like this shows how anti-Israel the mainstream media is. There is nothing inaccurate, it keeps everything in context - and therefore no editor of major news organizations would approve it.
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