Engaging in any Christian discussion may be punishable by one-year imprisonment.
QUICK FACTS:
- Moshe Gafni and Yaakov Asher, Orthodox Jewish members of Knesset, Israel’s governing body, introduced a bill prohibiting any religious conversation with those outside of the Jewish faith.
- The “Prohibition of Solicitation for Religious Conversion” bill serves as an amendment to a 1977 Israeli penal law.
- The punishment for having a conversation is one-year imprisonment, if speaking with a minor, the offense is punishable by two years imprisonment.
- Although the ban applies to all beliefs, the bill specifically notes that “the attempts of missionary groups, mainly Christians, to solicit conversion of religion have increased.”
- According to All Israel News, the bill “appears to be making it illegal for followers of Jesus (“Yeshua” in Hebrew) to explain why they believe that Jesus is both Messiah and God with the hope that Israelis might consider following Him.”
- “At times these attempts do not involve monetary promises or material gains and are therefore not illegal according to the current law, but the many negative repercussions, including psychological damages, warrant the intervention of the legislature,” the bill states.
- The bill also makes it illegal for an individual to engage with a person “directly, digitally, by mail, or online in order to convert his religion.”
ANTI-CHRISTIAN ATTITUDES PROLIFERATE THROUGHOUT ISRAEL:
- Last year, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem claimed that “our presence in Jerusalem is under threat.”
- Patriarch Theofilos III wrote in The Times, “Our churches are threatened by Israeli radical fringe groups.”
- “At the hands of these Zionist extremists the Christian community in Jerusalem is suffering greatly. Our brothers and sisters are the victims of hate crimes. Our churches are regularly desecrated and vandalized. Our clergy are subject to frequent intimidation,” the patriarch continued.
- In February 2023, an American Jewish extremist destroyed a statue of Jesus at a Jerusalem church. “This is a very serious matter, we cannot worship stones of false gods in Jerusalem,” the tourist said.
BACKGROUND:
- A Gallup poll found that Democrats now support Palestine more than Israel, with 49% versus 38% support.
- Independents’ support for Palestine has increased six points, now at 32%.
- Republican support for Israel is unwavering, with 78% continuing to support Israel more than Palestine (11%).
