August 17, 2026
Israel is home to one of the world's oldest Christian communities. Christians, along with those of other faiths, have a protected right to worship freely, hold public office, and play an active role in Israeli society. At the same time, Christians have faced a small number of incidents involving harassment and attacks by Jewish extremists in recent years. Israeli leaders have condemned the incidents, while Christian leaders have called for stronger enforcement against those responsible.
Here's what you need to know.
1. Israel is home to one of the Middle East's oldest and most diverse Christian communities
About 185,000 Christians live in Israel, making up roughly 2% of the country's population. The overwhelming majority of them are Arab citizens of Israel. There is great Christian diversity, including Armenians, Arameans, Catholics, Ethiopians, Maronites, Orthodox, Protestants, and others with centuries-old roots in the region.
Christians are represented throughout Israeli society at various times as judges, diplomats, physicians, educators, military officers, business leaders, and members of the Knesset. Israel is also home to many of Christianity's holiest sites, including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth.
Christian Arabs also have relatively high levels of educational attainment on par with and even sometimes exceeding Jewish Israelis. About 87.7% of Christian Arab 12th graders complete high school with a diploma, while 53% continue on to academic studies. Many pursue fields including engineering, architecture, medicine, and other health professions.
2. Christians enjoy religious freedom in Israel—but that doesn't mean there aren’t problems
Israel's Declaration of Independence affirms freedom of religion and commits the state to safeguarding the holy places of all faiths. Churches, Christian schools, charities, and religious institutions operate openly throughout the country, and in more peaceful years millions of Christian pilgrims visit Israel's holy sites.
At the same time, Christian clergy and institutions have reported an increase in harassment and attacks by a small number of Jewish extremists. Incidents have included vandalism, spitting at clergy, verbal abuse, rock-throwing, and physical assaults.
Christian and interreligious organizations have called for continued enforcement against those responsible. Israeli leaders have also condemned the incidents and emphasized that protecting religious freedom is a national responsibility.
These attacks do not reflect Israel's commitment to religious freedom or the values of the overwhelming majority of Israelis.
3. Israel has condemned anti-Christian attacks and taken steps to address them
Israeli leaders, including President Isaac Herzog, have repeatedly condemned attacks on Christians and have said that protecting religious freedom is a national responsibility. Police have investigated multiple incidents and brought charges in a number of cases.
In April 2026, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar appointed George Deek, an Arab Christian from Jaffa and Israel's first Christian ambassador, as the country's first Special Envoy to the Christian World. The new role was created to strengthen Israel's relationships with Christian communities around the world and engage with church leaders in Israel and abroad.
4. Israel's Christian community is best understood in the broader Middle Eastern context
Israel's Christian population has steadily grown since the country's founding. Christian Arabs also have high levels of education, with more than half continuing their studies after high school and many pursuing careers in medicine, engineering, architecture, and other fields.
Israel is not immune from religious intolerance or discrimination, and attacks on Christians by Jewish extremists are a serious concern that deserve continued attention.
At the same time, those incidents should be understood within the broader regional picture. Across much of the Middle East, historic Christian communities have endured decades of persecution, war, and displacement, including violence carried out by the Islamic State and other terrorist organizations in the region. Palestinian Christians have also faced intimidation and violence from extremist groups, including Hamas, even as many have also endured the consequences of the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Ancient Christian populations in Iraq and Syria were devastated by the Islamic State and other extremist groups, Egypt's Coptic Christians have repeatedly been targeted in terrorist attacks, and Lebanon's Christians have faced civil war, economic collapse, and years of emigration. By contrast, Israel's Christian population has grown in absolute numbers since the country's founding.
Today, Israel remains one of the few countries in the region where its Christian community enjoys full citizenship, legal protections, representation in public life, and the freedom to worship openly.
5. Where does AJC stand?
AJC condemns religious discrimination and believes everyone should be able to practice their faith free of hatred and intimidation. AJC has long spoken out clearly against attacks on Christians and Christian symbols, and recently welcomed both the swift arrests following recent incidents and Israel's broader efforts to address anti-Christian violence, including Ambassador Deek's appointment.
AJC strongly condemns the reported spitting and rock-throwing against Christians in Jerusalem this past weekend by Jewish assailants, part of a disturbing pattern in recent months. These acts are antithetical to Jewish values and undermine coexistence.
— American Jewish Committee (@AJCGlobal) August 3, 2026
We welcome Israel's swift…
Understanding the situation means holding two things at once: the attacks are real and demand a real response, and Israel remains one of the Middle East's strongest protectors of religious freedom — and home to one of its oldest, most vibrant Christian communities.
