Israel's war threatens the world's oldest Christian community. But Western powers who pay lip service to religious minorities are silent, writes Khalil Sayegh.

Gaza is home to one of the oldest Christian communities in the world, dating back to the first century, and the third oldest church in the world. Despite constant threats to survival, the community has persisted for two millennia.

But now, extinction may be unavoidable this time due to Israel’s indiscriminate war and imposed famine, which has killed more than 32,000 Palestinians in Gaza. There are only about 800 Christians left in Gaza.

  • Xhieron@lemmy.worldEnglish
    123·
    3 months ago

    Free Palestine.

    Netanyahu and many of the leaders of the IDF should stand trial for war crimes (and the US should continue to be a close ally to the Israeli people and their new government).

    That said, what’s fascinating about this to me as an American is the success with which the US evangelical political right has convinced its base that the Israel of 2024 is one with the Israel of 1000 BC. As much as I appreciate the reality that the US is somewhat stuck, geopolitically (a fact that many well-meaning American “leftists” fail to recognize), that American Christians aren’t the ones raising hell about the genocide of Palestinian Christians really betrays where their true allegiance lies.

    No war but the class war.

    • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.worldEnglish
      31·
      3 months ago

      Netanyahu and many of the leaders of the IDF should stand trial for war crimes

      Absolutely.

      and the US should continue to be a close ally to the Israeli people and their new government

      We’ve already seen what happens, or rather DOESN’T happen when a US ally commits atrocities. Let’s wait and see whether the next government is gonna be just as awful as the current one before pledging allegiance to it.

      the US is somewhat stuck, geopolitically

      Nope, just pretending that they can’t change anything because they don’t want to jeopardize legal bribes from AIPAC and the military industrial complex.

      a fact an excuse that many well-meaning American “leftists” less credulous people from all over the world fail to recognize will no longer accept

      Fixed it for you.

      No war but the class war

      ✊️

    • PugJesus@kbin.social
      1·
      3 months ago

      As much as I appreciate the reality that the US is somewhat stuck, geopolitically (a fact that many well-meaning American “leftists” fail to recognize),

      It’s really not, though. Our weird relationship with Israel only entered its current phase in the late 70s and has done incredible damage to our interests in MENA. We’re behind them because of domestic politics, not international.