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To: Pelham

The relations between Jewish and Christian citizens (particularly Arab citizens) of Israel has come a long way from the late 1960s.

In that day, there were a lot more Christian Arabs in purely Arabic neighborhoods. As the Christian Arabs got more affluent, they moved to largely Jewish neighborhoods (because crime and religious persecution of Christians is bad in Arab neighborhoods). So you inevitably become more friendly.

There was also a weird kind of Stockholm syndrome among Christian Arabs when they lived among Muslim Arabs. They had to prove their “Arabness” by being more hostile to Jews than Muslim Arabs. This largely faded a generation ago.

Anyway, Sirhan was a product of his time.

The only real beefs I’m personally aware of is:

(1) constant tension among the Armenians in Jerusalem with certain of the local Hasidic factions (who hate everyone that is not them, including Jews). A lot of this has to do with the drug trade and who controls what (on both sides).

(2) in the same area, there are Jews for Jesus people who (allegedly) lie about being Jewish and mix among Hasids. I really don’t understand the disputes, but I’m sure it’s some combination of Hasids calling them heretics and general anger at pretending to be something you are not. Me, I think people need to not worry what other people do or believe.


72 posted on 02/27/2026 9:24:40 AM PST by Jewbacca (The residents of Iroquois territory may not determine whether Jews may live in Jerusalem.)
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To: Jewbacca; wardaddy

The number of Christian groups that visit Israel must be huge. Some, like Calvary Chapel that originated here in SoCal, used to be more pro-Israel than actual Israelis. They may still be.

The native, historic Christian populations inside Israel are something entirely different and they are going to have their own complicated history.

People outside of Israel exploit it for their own purposes. It pulls American domestic politics and foreign policy into the mix for a lot of reasons.


76 posted on 02/27/2026 12:45:29 PM PST by Pelham (President Eisenhower. Operation Wetback 1953-54)
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