INTRODUCTION

Jerusalem is known as being the city at the heart of the Christian faith and many Christian tourists flock to Jerusalem each year to marvel at the magnificent churches and shrines and to walk in the steps of Jesus. Sadly, over the years it has become very difficult, not just for the small Christian population but for all Palestinians, to live in Jerusalem. This is because of the Israeli Occupation policies before, during and after the Nakba in 1948, as well as several economic, social, cultural and religious issues. Almost half of the (remaining) Christian population of Jerusalem live in the Old City. This information sheet presents a narrative description and statistical information about the local Palestinian Christian residential area inside the Old City of Jerusalem. It is worth noting that there is a historical coexistence between Christian and Muslim families in the Christian Quarter, as well as a large number of Christian monasteries and institutions in Muslim-majority areas. In fact, the name “Islamic Quarter” does not exist on the ground amongst local Palestinians. When Jerusalem is mentioned, many Christians from all over the world think about the churches and monasteries, while they lack information about the indigenous people, the Palestinian Christians whose numbers continue to decline. This decline was dramatic after the Nakba (the Palestinian Catastrophe) in 1948 and continued to decrease further after the 1967 Israeli occupation of the eastern part of Jerusalem, West Bank and Gaza Strip. There are many causes that have led to declining numbers of Palestinian Christians but the oppressive conditions of the Israeli occupation which have resulted in reduced freedoms,
justice and human rights for Palestinians, has undoubtedly been the main factor in the declining Christian population of Palestine in general, and Jerusalem in particular.

Christians decreased in number during the British Mandate period as Jewish immigration increased. “The Christian population in 1944 was 148,910, with 29,350 of them in Jerusalem , which accounted for around 8% of the total population of Palestine”1. In 1948, the Christians in Jerusalem numbered around 25,0002 and in 1967 their number had decreased to 12,000.3 The Nakba in 1948, and the Israeli occupation in 1967 played a direct role in this decline. Most research studies concerning Christian migration from the Holy Land agree that the main reason and motivation are the repressive Israeli policies. Currently, the Christian population in Jerusalem is about 9,800 which represents less than one percent of the total population of the city of Jerusalem. 40% of the total population of Palestinian Christians live in the central part of Jerusalem, mainly in and around the Old City of Jerusalem, while the rest live in the northern part of Jerusalem. These Christians belong to different denominations: Roman Catholic 55%, Greek Orthodox 23%, Greek Catholic 9%, 4% Syriac Orthodox, 4%, Armenian 3% and others 3%5. read more...