76% of Christians in Israel are Arabs

According to the government, Christians were 1.9% of the population in 2021.

Evangelical Focus

Evangélico Digital · JERUSALEM · 12 JANUARY 2023 · 15:15 CET

A market in Jerusalem, Israel. / Photo: <a target="_blank" href="https://unsplash.com/@yannym">Yanny Mishchuk</a>,
A market in Jerusalem, Israel. / Photo: Yanny Mishchuk

The population in Israel that identifies as “Christian” has increased by 2% in 2021, according to the latest statistics published by the government.

According to the National Office for Statistics, Christians represent 1.9% of the population.

What is probably less known outside the country is that a large majority of 76% of these Christian believers are Arabs.

In fact, Christians in Israel represent 7% of the whole Arab population, which is traditionally Muslim.

The city with most Christians is Nazareth (21,100), followed by Haifa (16,700), Jerusalem (12.900) and Shefa-‘Amr (10,500).

According to the government’s statistics, a typical Christian household in Israel is formed by 3 people, like a Jewish household but smaller than a Muslim one (4 people). Christian families have an average of 1,86 children.

The study also shows that Arab Christians more often access higher education than other demographic groups.

Right to evangelise?

Despite its presence in the country, Christians often struggle to share their faith publicly in Israel. Some groups decide not to evangelise in a context in which proselytism is often seen as offensive, while other Christian organisations have continued to have a missionary approach in a land where the laws protect the freedoms of conscience, faith, religion, and worship, regardless of an individual's religious affiliation.

In recent years, nevertheless, Christian organisations have been threatened by ultra-orthodox groups for their alleged missionary work. Organisations such as Jews For Jesus and other messianic Jews have often defended their right to speak about their faith.

Published in: Evangelical Focus - world - 76% of Christians in Israel are Arabs

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