Christians in middle east

Grapevine, January 16, 2026: Christian ‘Who’s Who’ in Israel

Movers and shakers in Israeli society.

|ByGREER FAY CASHMAN
Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III shares a laugh with President Isaac Herzog.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a 40 signatures debate, at the plenum hall of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, on January 5, 2026.

Netanyahu discusses Middle East geopolitics, Iran threat in Dr. Phil interview

"On the second day of the war," Netanyahu told McGraw, "I knew we were not only dealing with Hamas or Hezbollah, we were dealing with Iran."

|ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF
FOR IRAN’S Christian community, the postwar crackdown has been particularly severe, with at least 50 members detained by authorities. Here, Iranian Christians take part in the New Year prayer ceremony at a church in Tehran last January.

When faith comes under fire: How Iran’s repression of religious minorities has increased

IRAN AFFAIRS: A new report by NUFDI titled “Faith Under Siege” has documented the religious oppression, providing many examples of the individuals who have been arrested.

|ByALEX WINSTON
The Nativity scene shows baby Jesus wrapped in a keffiyeh and placed in a rubble to show solidarity with the people of Gaza on December 24, 2023 in the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem, West Bank.

Lutheran Christian leaders praised Hamas violence against Israel, investigation finds

An investigation alleges that senior Christian figures framed the October 7 Hamas attack as justified, fueling criticism over antisemitism and damage to Jewish-Christian relations.

|ByTPS

Thousands turn out for Christmas parade in Nazareth

Posters declaring “Jerusalem, capital of Palestine” placed around city reminded visitors of political tensions.

DECEMBER 23, 2017BySETH J. FRANTZMAN
Christmas in Nazareth

Record breaking 20% increase in Christmas pilgrims to Israel expected

Tourism Ministry: Over 3.5 million tourists in 2017 – 500,000 more than previous year.

DECEMBER 20, 2017ByDANIEL K. EISENBUD
Eastern Orthodox pilgrims in Jerusalem

Suicide bombers attack Pakistani church before Christmas, killing nine

Broken wooden benches, shards of glass and musical instruments were scattered around a Christmas tree inside the prayer hall.

DECEMBER 17, 2017ByREUTERS
A policeman guides a family after after gunmen attacked the Bethel Memorial Methodist Church in Quetta, Pakistan

Report: Four Iranian Christian converts arrested weeks before Christmas

The Iranian government's official news agency referred to them as members of a "devious Christian cult."

DECEMBER 17, 2017ByERIC SUMNER
IRAN’S SUPREME LEADER Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The West needs to be careful not to let Iran gain from the crisis with Qatar

Rubio calls to help displaced Christians in the Middle East

"Words alone are hollow unless action follows," said Sen. Mark Rubio.

DECEMBER 12, 2017ByBENJAMIN GLATT
Sen. Marco Rubio speaks with reporters in Washington in July

Comment: Jerusalem is seeing the light

100 years to city's capture and Trump recognition means future keeps on getting brighter.

DECEMBER 11, 2017ByBENJAMIN GLATT
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence stands behind as U.S. President Donald Trump holds up the proclamation he signed that the United States recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and will move its embassy there, during an address from the White House in Washington, U.S., December 6, 2017

Comment: Jerusalem embassy move is a biblical issue

If the modern People of Israel are a continuation of the ancient biblical People of Israel, then shouldn’t the capital of the modern State of Israel be the same as the ancient Kingdom of Israel?

NOVEMBER 29, 2017ByBENJAMIN GLATT
A SIGN calls on US President Donald Trump to move the US Embassy to Jerusalem.

‘Western Christianity in denial about radical Islam’

First Eastern Christianity was destroyed. Now it’s Europe’s turn, according to an Italian author.

NOVEMBER 23, 2017ByBENJAMIN GLATT
An Iraqi Christian soldier guards the church of Saint Barbara after it was recaptured from Islamic State, near Mosul

Lebanese patriarch makes historic visit to Saudi Arabia

Patriarch Beshara al-Rai heads the Maronite church, which has a presence in Lebanon, Syria and Cyprus and follows an Eastern rite of the Roman Catholic church.

NOVEMBER 13, 2017ByREUTERS
Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rai

Comment: How a visit to Israel changed Churchill's outlook

The statesman had honest look at Israel during his stay, BDS activists need to do the same.

OCTOBER 25, 2017ByBENJAMIN GLATT
British Home Secretary Winston Churchill is escorted by High Commissioner Herbert Samuel, in Jerusalem during the British mandate era.