The situation for Palestinian Christians (in Gaza) is very, very different than that of Palestinian Muslims. Palestinian Christians are terrified of being forced to go south. Why? Because they have seen the genocide that ISIS launched against Christians in Iraq and Syria just a few years ago. Palestinian Christians are therefore terrified that they will be slaughtered if they go south. They are terrified that their wives and daughters will be raped if they go south.
If they are forced out of the historic church buildings -- the safe havens, in which they are currently sheltering in and around Gaza City -- and are sent to the south, they believe they face genocide, too. There are no safe havens for Christians in southern Gaza.
Virtue is a conservative Anglican site.
However, CNEA, a Catholic site, puts the diaspora of Arab Christians from this area into perspective of the Vatican, who tends to back the Palestinians and Arabs in this dispute.
Since 1948, some 230,000 Arab Christians have left the region (Dr. Bernard Sabella, Bethlehem University), including refugees from 1947 and 1967; moreover, some 35% of the total Palestinian Christian population has emigrated since the Six Day War, June 1967.
and they note:
the most recent demographic survey of the West Bank and Gaza, Muslims comprised more than 97 percent of the population, while Christians made up just 2.3 percent.
this site blames Israel for not letting the Palestinians have their own state.- Israelis would point out that their elected leaders have openly proclaimed they want to destroy Israel and kill everyone there, which sort of suggests at the present time the happy happy dream of a two state solution wouldn't work.
More importantly, the article gives a good economic analysis of the problem, and this can be blamed on Israel...
The problem of Israeli settlers taking Arab land is a sore spot, but fails to note that a lot the economic policy, including limiting imports, and fewer Palestinians being allowed to work in Israel, is because of Israeli realistic fear of terrorist attacks.
Recent reports that the latest terror attack on civilians from Gaza was aided and abetted by Gaza citizens working in that area suggests this fear is real.
Not even mentioned: The fear of local Christians when countries are taken over by the radicals suggest it might be fear of persecution.
which is why Pope Francis is working with Muslim leaders to encourage interfaith cooperation.
Peace can be made: Even the Moros in the Philippines have made peace in exchange for local autonomy and economic development.
Some of this was helped by moderate Muslim states who not only helped economic development but encouraged them to sign a peace agreement.
so it can be done. It won't be easy and it might take a century or two, but it can be done.
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