“My dear Christian friends, as you gather with your family and friends this Christmas, I wish the Christian community in Israel and around the world blessings for a Merry Christmas from the Holy Land," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began in a video posted on X/Twitter on Tuesday.
“My dear Christian friends, as you gather with your family and friends this Christmas, I wish the Christian community in Israel and around the world blessings for a Merry Christmas from the Holy Land. pic.twitter.com/b5YtGaCUug
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) December 24, 2024
"At a time when Israel is fighting on seven fronts, we deeply appreciate the steadfast support of our Christian friends around the world. You've stood by our side, you've stood by our side resiliently, consistently, forcefully as Israel defends our civilization against barbarism," he said.
Netanyahu continued, "The people of Israel are united in defending our nation against those bent on our destruction. We seek peace with all those who wish peace with us, but we will do whatever is necessary to defend the one and only Jewish state, the repository and the source of our common heritage."
"Israel leads the world in fighting the forces of evil and tyranny, but our battle is not yet over. With your support, and with God's help, I assure you, we shall prevail. From Jerusalem, city of peace, I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year," the video concluded.
Christians in Israel
About 180,300 Christians live in Israel, and make up about 1.8% of the country’s population, according to a report released by the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics on Sunday.
As of September, Israel's population is estimated to be 9.915 million people. In 2023, the Christian population grew by 0.6%.
Of the Christians in Israel, 78.7% are Arab Christians, and the areas with the largest Arab Christian populations are Nazareth (19,800), Haifa (18,700), Jerusalem (13,100), and Nof HaGalil (10,500). Arab Christians constitute 6.9% of the total Arab population of Israel, according to the bureau.
Of the non-Arab Christians, 41.3% reside in the Tel Aviv and Central Districts, and 34.8% reside in the Northern and Haifa Districts, according to the report.
In 2023, 2,193 infants were born to Christian women, the bureau reported, and 74% of those were born to Arab Christian women. Also, in 2023, the total fertility rate of a Christian woman was an average of 1.64 children per woman, and for an Arab Christian woman, the average was 1.52.
In 2022, 762 Christian couples married in Israel, and the average age at the first marriage for Christian grooms was 30.9. For Christian brides, the average age was 27.6. Both ages are higher than the average ages of marriage among other religions, the report stated.