This is a most positive development. Although Jews and Christians face the same fate under Islamic law — subjugation as dhimmis and denial of basic rights — the unhappy history of Christian anti-Semitism and the near-universal denial of the reality of the Islamic jihad, among innumerable other factors, have prevented the formation of any large-scale cooperative efforts. Freedom lovers may hope that this will be the beginning of much more toward that end.
“Israeli Army Sees Rise in Christian Arab Recruits,” by Karl Vick for Time, March 7:
Jewish Israelis are compelled to make themselves available to Israel’s military, but the obligation has never been applied to the 20 percent of Israeli citizens who identify as Palestinian, and are sometimes called Israeli Arabs. As descendants of the people that Jewish armies fought and defeated to create the state of Israel in 1948–but, who, unlike the 700,000 who fled or were forced out of their homes, were permitted to stay—young Palestinians living Israel were never expected to carry arms to defend it.
Yet a few do. Last year 100 Arab Israelis joined the Israel Defense Forces, double the number of each of the preceding three years. All were Christians, “a minority within a minority,” notes Gabriel Naddaf, the Greek Orthodox priest who is promoting enlistment, and with it a controversial separate identity for the 160,000 Orthodox and Catholics among the 1.7 million Israeli citizens who regard themselves as Palestinian.
Many Israelis, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, welcome the move, proudly displaying Arab Christian recruits as an indicator of the country’s commitment to a certain sort of pluralism, even as it presses negotiators for the Palestinians who live beyond Israel’s immediate borders to recognize Israel as “a Jewish state.”
Note the sneering tone. Israel wants the “Palestinians” to recognize Israel as a Jewish state so as to end their oft-stated imperative to destroy it utterly. They want the “Palestinians” to recognize that Israel has a right to exist, and to exist as a state with a Jewish majority. Christians and other non-Jews in Israel enjoy equality of rights and are represented in the Knesset. Compare their situation to the plight of non-Muslims in Islamic states, which Time would never dare criticize: in Pakistan, Iran and elsewhere, non-Muslims live a precarious existence, harassed and brutalized with little or no recourse to protection from the authorities. In Israel, non-Jews live freely.
Palestinian leaders regard IDF recruitment–as well as a Knesset vote last month designating a seat for Christians on an employment commission—as a cynical, divide-and-rule tactic intended to splinter the solidarity of a national liberation movement conceived, in the 1960s, around a newly emerged Palestinian identity. “It’s an expression of the way the Israeli system thinks and works,” says Hanan Ashrawi, a senior PLO official: “Dividing people, defining them by religion, trying to discriminate.”
Actually this Israeli decision was a reaction against divide-and-rule tactics employed by Islamic supremacists in the days of the caliphates and Islamic empires, up to and including the Ottoman Empire: the dhimmi communities were divided from each other and their mutual antagonisms encouraged and perpetuated at the highest levels, so as to avoid the creation of a coalition of victimized peoples against their Muslim overlords. Arab nationalism later co-opted Middle Eastern Christian communities as fellow Arabs and made it a linchpin of Arab loyalty to support the Islamic agenda, when the natural alliance would have been for dhimmi communities to unite against the Sharia imperative. Israel has no made a welcome step toward that alliance.
Father Naddaf says that’s fine by him. In Israel, he says, military service is a key to success in life and Christians want to do better. “Enough of the lies regarding Christian identity and the nationality of the Christians in Israel,” Naddaf tells TIME. “We want to integrate into Israeli society. We want to contribute to the society we live in. And we want to represent ourselves. No one else will.”
The priest said Christians have learned from the examples of other non-Jews who advanced in Israeli society by serving in the military: the Druze and Bedouin, Arabic-speaking residents of Israel who have never identified as Palestinian. In 2012, along with two other Orthodox priests, Naddaf established the “Israeli-Christian Recruitment Forum” to encourage army enlistment. The forum has its own flag—a sword in the shape of a cross behind the Israel’s own Star of David standard—but the two other priests are gone. “Unfortunately they withdrew because of the threats,” says Naddaf, who has received so many threats to his own life that Israel’s internal security service rates him at level four on a scale of one to six, he says.
Which bring us to another driver of the nascent movement: The dire situation facing Christian populations from Iraq to Egypt to Syria. “We are caught between the hammer and anvil,” says Ezak Hallak, a Nazareth lawyer for the Forum, quoting a Hebrew expression. “In our hearts, we support Israel, the Jews. I think the Christians in the Middle East are getting slaughtered because we are not speaking what is in our hearts. Stand up for yourself. There is no other way to face the craziness of the radical Arabs. No other way in the world.”
How controversial is an Arab joining the IDF? After enlisting, Naddaf’s son, Jabron, was attacked on the street by a man shouting “traitor”—a word even his friends would have used just two years ago, Jabron Naddaf says, “but it’s not the case any more.” And indeed, the idea of serving in the IDF brought no strong reactions from a half dozen people—all Muslims—interviewed on the street in downtown Nazareth, the town where, according to lore, Christ came of age….
mortimer says
It must be obvious to all Christians in the Middle East that Muslim Brotherhood, Al Qaeda and Hezbollah are not their friends.
Alarmed Pig Farmer says
The purpose of the Mo-Bro-Hood is well known to anybody with the honesty to read the organization’s own statements, let alone its police history. And our sitting president backs them. These are crazy, mixed-up, troubling times. Especially with the whir of the all those Persian centrifuges humming in the background.
dumbledoresarmy says
God bless Fr Gabriel Naddaf.
He is refusing to be a dhimmi. He has renounced dhimmitude. He has freed himself from a truly demonic spiritual bondage.
He is refusing to obediently carry water for the Jihad – for the Ummah, or Mohammedan Mob – any more.
He is far more truly a Christian than that sinister – and stupid – and deluded – Islamochristian, Hanan Ashrawi.
If *I* were a Christian living in Israel, I would have most strongly encouraged my older children (now in their early twenties) to join the IDF and do their stint of military training.
Because it is that thin ring of steel – the IDF – that prevents Israel from being overwhelmed by the howling mohammedan hordes and plunged into the same abyss as all the surrounding ISlamified countries either inhabit or are swiftly descending into.
No sane Christian would want to live in, say, Gaza, or Syria, or Egypt, or Lebanon, or even Jordan, rather than inside free, safe, decent – and well-managed, with taps that work and water that runs and first-world-standard medical care – Israel.
Fr Naddaf needs to be provided with an Arabic translation of Mark Durie’s “The Third Choice: Islam, Dhimmitude and Freedom”, and its companion booklet, “Liberty to the Captives”, which sets out the sorts of things that people who have endured the vicious system of Abuse that is the dhimma, need to do in order to psychologically and spiritually liberate themselves.
NoMoNoZion says
“Unlike the 700,000 who fled or were forces out of their homes…”
Man, Christians get duped by Zionists so easy it would make your head spin!
The run em out of their homes in ’48, subject them to shelling in Palestine, and have them believing that if they help Iz-reel, little baby Jesus will come out of the sky and save them! Talk about dhimmi status, the Christ-o’s volunteer to live under the Zionist’s thumb!
Pagael says
As a Christian, I believe Israel is the promised land to Jews, I do not need any Zionists to tell me that! I believe the old and new testament, and that Jesus, my Saviour was a Jew. Believe what you want about Christians, but, those who abide in Christ and try with G_d’s help yo be righteous will always support and love the Jews. I can’t speak for all who claim to be ‘Christian’.
sinantara says
let’s say the zionist thumb is the best of the worst. If I was an Christian Arab I would rather live in Tel Aviv then in Bhagdad or Damascus or even Cairo. Of course, one can choose to live in Rome–but remember, the Prophet himself has placed Rome on the hitlist. He promised his followers that Rum (Byzantium) would fall–which didn’t happen by Arab swords rather by Ottoman canon. But fall it did.
I have lived among Muslims all my life–and to the man in the street the fall or Rome is what should and will–albeit not in their time, since they have a taxi to drive of an office to run. But they keep breeding with joy and the masses of jobless and landless young males will in time follow the way of the Hun because that is what homo sapien has been doing since invading the lands of the neaderthal. Of course being sapien, they need a justification. Like just taking what Jahwe (yes, Jahwe too) or Allah has promised them and who are we humble men and women to refuse God’s will. But the west (and the average Jew too) have stumbled upon The Enlightement… (the one found under a Bodhi tree). That’s the difference. Islam still persecutes its enlightened people. And the masses with beards will come to Rome, they will come. So better be an IDF soldier with a gun under the thumb of a Israeli commander than being helpless and dragged from your home by the bearded young man who will take off your head…
bikeboy says
“But the west (and the average Jew too) have stumbled upon The Enlightement”
A bit condescending, no?
Henry says
The fact is Christians suffer persecution in ALL Muslim countries, and the sad demographic facts illustrate the matter. The only growing Christian population in the entire Middle East exists in Israel, the sole country in which Islam does not prevail. Christians now make up less than 1% of the population of the Palestinian territories, down from just over 10% in 1948, while in Israel the population has grown from 34,000 in 1948 to more than 150,000 today.
No one expects an Islamic supremacist to be forthcoming about the contrast of religious freedom, tolerance and democratic values between Islamic states and Israel.
israelftw says
“The run em out of their homes in ’48, subject them to shelling in Palestine”
Ignorant bullshit. Most of them fled despite Israel’s leaders assurances that they will not be harmed (Haifa for example). Yet they chose to believe the Arab leaders that told them to evacuate, perhaps because they knew that if they would have won they would slaughter any Jew in sight they way they did countless times before (Hebron for example).
“believing that if they help Iz-reel, little baby Jesus will come out of the sky and save them”
Pure idiocy. They help Israel because they looked around them and saw their brothers being massacred everywhere under the Muzzies’ rule, while in Israel they have equal rights with the Jews, living better than any of their brethren for thousands of miles around (life is excellent under the Zionist’s thumb). Most of them don’t even identify themselves with the Muzzy Arabs around them. If you call them “Arabs” they will get offended. For decades the party that represented them was the Communist party, which saw all the “Arabs” as one. Today however, the Christians despise the party and its leadership. Again the timing says all. All they had to do to finally realize who is a friend and who is the enemy is simply look around – the Copts in Egypt, Christians in Syria. This awakening is not unique to Christians either: for decades the Druze population of the Golan heights was loyal to Syria (Druze are not Muzzies. Druze’s religion is strange, and one of its imperatives is to be loyal to the country in which you live. The Druze population in Israel is extremely loyal, and serve in the IDF just as Jews do. Druze in the Golan heights continued to see themselves as Syrians after 1967). But after Assad started butchering his people many of them have applied for Israeli citizenship.
So, in conclusion, you are a moron.
Islamisdeath says
Your synopsis is 100% accurate. The addled Muslims have to rewrite history in order to justify themselves to themselves.
Henry says
Israel is the only country in the Middle East where Christians aren’t persecuted and the only country where the Christian population is expanding.
bikeboy says
The only country in the ME where nobody is persecuted.
mackykam says
And 1 million Jews were forced from Arab lands where they left their wealth, as opposed to arabs who fled the Mandate land upon advice of the vaunted arab armies, LOL, with their rags intact.
gravenimage says
We’ve heard this sort of crap from creeps like “NoMoNoZion” before.
The idea that Christians only support Israel for millenarian reasons is simply ludicrous.
Israel is an ally to the West, a democracy which treats all of its citizens equally.
There is no other nation in the Middle East which can say the same.
And does anyone here believe “NoMoNoZion’s” username? He seems to be heavy on the “NoZion”, with no sign of any “NoMo” sentiments.
Jerry says
Not only Israel should welcome the Christian recruits, as they apparently do, but they should also consider opening their border to receive Christian refugees from Syria and not only on a temporary basis.
In the past Christians in Arab states were too intimidated by the Muslims and thus were forced to support the anti-Jewish Muslims.
They were rewarded by the Muslims and continue to be rewardes with a slow genocide of their communities.
In 1948 the population of Bethlehem was close to 90% Christian. By 1967 when occupied by Israel there were only about 30% left.
Before the Islamic Arab conquest the Egyptian population was predominantly Copt and followed the Christian faith. Through genocide and forced conversion only about 10% Christians remain.
About two and a half million Christians were displaced from Iraq swince the demise of Saadam Hussein, and a similar number were displaced from Syria during the last two years through low level genocide and “Ethnic Cleansing”
There is so much talk about the “Palestinian” refugees from Israel, whose original number pales into relative insignificance in comparison with the larger number of Jewish refugees from Arab states absorbed by Israel and the huge number of Christian murdered by Islamists over the years or driven away in their millions from not only Arab but also other Islamist states.
jamesC says
somebody draw me a cartoon which i have been imagining…..a long table filled with an assortment of weapons….a wall about 4′ behind it…..a line of Christians and Jews between the two…..and there in front of the table, attacking with their swords and AK47’s, etc., are a hoard of muslines….we know what the Jews will do…but
will the Christians pick up a weapon and fight?
Islamisdeath says
This Chritian would.
Defcon 4 says
Christians have fought against muslimes before — at least the ones who recognized evil for what it was. After all, it was the Catholic Church that saved Europe/Eurabia from islam — through bloodshed and force of arms.
Mirren10 says
I’m in two minds about this.
I do hope the IDF is setting up some rigorous checks to see that no mohammedans are infiltrating, under the guise of being Christian arabs, and equally that the real Christians who join up **are** totally loyal to Israel.
One hates to be cynical about this, and on one level, as dda points out, it’s good to see arab Christians breaking out of mohammedan influence and the wretched grievance mongering of the mohammedans in Gaza, but I think the Israeli’s need to be very careful about these new recruits. nidal Hassan, and others, keep coming to mind.
Anyway, I hope it works.
Long live Israel !
Mirren. (Jan).
revg says
Israel needs all the help it can muster, Christians of all stripes should help to keep the holy land out of hands of satanic islam.
Bezelel says
Very positive news,and puts that apartheid crap in it’s place.
blitz2b says
“…Man, Christians get duped by Zionists so easy it would make your head spin!….”. Are all you mozzies this stupid? Think for yourself, how are your hordes of Mohammed treating Christians in lands where you hold the reins? They are brutally mistreated or persecuted for their faith, or framed under ignorant Islamic blasphemy laws. Jesus Christ did tell us to turn the other cheek when struck but he never that we should become your door mats. Anyway the Jews are much more closer to Christians then you should worry your silly little head about, and it would make your head spin to know that both Jews and Christians worship the same God YHWH and reject your desert Allah as an imposter. Mull on that for a bit….
eib says
The Christians of Israel are beginning to fight because they are learning the truth. Islam is profane.
Mohammed is a false prophet.
Allah’s sons struggle for evil. The evil they struggle for is genocide.
Fight or die.
They are finally turning the tide against submission.
bikeboy says
Let us hope they are sincere in their motives and that they are a productive part of Israel, I believe they are.
Jack says
This is great news. I am sure that the IDF will vet any Christian recruit very carefully. Believe me, the IDF Is fantastic and they know the problems they could face if a Muslim got in. Now I just wish that the rest of the Christians (many Russian) in Israel were also drafted. And how about some mechanism for foreign Christians to join up? I’m sure that many gentile Christians would be only to happy to join, especially from the Anglo world.
Lou Bator says
From the Anglo (British) world, I am sure, but also from Irish, German, American and Canadian worlds, too.
Emil says
The debate has no poent. Islamists never get confused with facts.
My mom is christian and my father is Druze. and we’re being prosecuted in the arab world, just a few weeks ago a large group of Druze children at school were massivley converted to Islam [by force].
Stop lying Islamists. you are prosecuting all minorities, unlike the state of Israel which is fully democratic.
Jax Tolmen says
If it were possible, I would love to contribute to the defence of Israel from the incessant terrorist attacks. I don’t know how any Western nation can work against this bastion of civilisation surrounded by a sea of monsters.
The whole Palestinian -Israeli conflict is an unfortunate scenario brought forth by unfavourable circumstances surrounding the creation of the Jewish state, to be honest despite the fact that the Arabs will cease on any reason to drive them out, I blame the Western world for allowing this to happen.
It should be stated unequivocally by our leaders that despite misgivings, the Jewish state will never be allowed to die and the supposed ‘Palestinians’ can either accept this fact or be ground to dust. There will be no peace as long as they believe they have some sort of claim to land, even after attacking Israel repeatedly and losing that ground as a matter of course.
All I see is a sordid history full of numerous unprovoked attacks against Israel, but as always – apologists and activists are quick to forget this fact and focus on the supposed ‘atrocities’ perpetrated against the poor ‘palestinians’. I always find it interesting how the media condemns Israeli air strikes, even when they were provoked into action by constant indiscriminate rocket fire. It’s unbelievable.
gravenimage says
Jax Tolmen wrote:
The whole Palestinian -Israeli conflict is an unfortunate scenario brought forth by unfavourable circumstances surrounding the creation of the Jewish state…
………………………….
This is not the case, Jax. Muslims would wage violent Jihad against any former dhimmis daring to assert their freedom. And further, Islam has always fanatically hated Jews even more than other Infidels.
Israel would always be a target for Jihad—the specifics of her founding are completely incidental here—and certainly not grounds for genocidal enmity in any case, except in Islamic terms.
Stephen David says
This is the part that gets me:
“… displaying Arab Christian recruits as an indicator of the country’s commitment to a certain sort of pluralism”
What, pray tell, is “a certain sort of pluralism”??? Israel either supports pluralism or it does not. If you want to see a country that does NOT support pluralism, look to any of the Muslim countries in the Middle East. (i.e. ANY country OTHER than Israel)
Only Lebanon allows Christians to participate freely in their political system… and Lebanon was at one time a major Christian center in the Roman Empire and by the end of the 19th century was still 60 – 70% Christian. (today Lebanon has declined to around 35% Christian)
But other than Lebanon, Israel is the only country in the Middle East that supports pluralism.
R. Craigen says
Note last line, Jesus “came of age” in Nazareth “according to lore”. Lore?
dumbledoresarmy says
Yep. It would have been more precise, and more accurate, to say, “According to the Gospels”. Or “according to the Bible”.
Kepha says
My guess is that some of the local Christians who stayed put in 1948 have come to realize that they’re in the last refuge in the Middle East. I would not say they’re duped at all.
For the record, this Christian is of the mind that the Chosen People of God and the focus of divine prophecy isn’t a community in the Middle East, but those gathered about the Messiah (whether Jew or Gentile). Still, I think Israel is a much more civilized, humane, and decent country than most of its neighbors.
I note as well that it isn’t only Christians who serve in the Israeli Army, but Druze, Circassian Muslims, and some Bedawi as well.
Defcon 4 says
What makes “Circassian muslimes” any better than the rest of the Jew hating psychopathic swill that constitute the rest of islam?
Kepha says
Intriguing question about the Circassians in Israel. Still, they serve in the IDF, I understand. If someone had the time, inclination, and a position close to the Galilee, maybe he could research it and report.
gravenimage says
Israeli army sees rise in Christian recruits
…………………………
I’m heartily glad to hear it.