What religion are the Palestinians? The Israelis?

[katiebug721]

This is for a essay I'm doing at school. I would really appreciate the help.

[Unknown]

Israelis compose of 76.4% Jews, 16% Muslims, 2.1% Christians, 1.6% Druze, and 3.9% unspecified

*The Palestinians are 99.3% Muslim, 0.7% Christian.

*The numbers reflect only the religious composition of Gazan Palestinians.

[Zeno]

In 1948,about 20% of the Palestinians were Christian,primarily Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox; the rest were and are Muslims,until the 80's fairly moderate in their religious views. After the "Israeli" seizure of power most of the Christians were simply expelled although for the sake of cover their churches and clergy were left untouched,thus creating the impression that Christianity continues to thrive in the Holy Land. One result of the expulsion of the Christian Palestinians has been greater latitude in operating a formal resistance since they have the freedom of operating abroad; George Habish,founder of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine was a Christian and today the PLO's top representative in the U.S. is Michael Tarazi,member of a very old and highly respected Gaza Christian family. They left after his 18-year-old brother was crucified on the hood of an Israeli jeep in 1988. Opposition to Zionism has always been predominately Christian Palestinian and U.S.-oriented; even in the 1930's the prominent cleric Abraham Rahbany and George Antonius were leading figures. Today the churches and their staff are still there but there is no longer much left of the laity; primarily they operate for the sake of religious tourism. Christian Palestinians resident in the Palestinian Territories is about 2-4%; in Israel itself less than a tenth of a per cent. Meanwhile the Muslim Palestinians have become more orthodox in their religious views while also becoming a well-educated people. In 1948 the most educated Palestinians were the Christians who tended to live in urban areas,particularly coastal cities such as Haifa,Jaffa and Gaza City. The Muslims were mostly share-croppers and poorly educated. Today the Christians are mostly gone but still serve Palestine extra-nationally; meanwhile the Muslim Palestinians are no longer share-croppers since most of the land has been expropriated by the "government". Although more religious than they used to be they are also much better educated,the majority being professional-class,for the most part doctors or lawyers,there being for obvious reasons a huge demand in the Palestinian Territories for both professions. If you have the misfortune to suffer under an illegal occupation in the P.T. you will understand why they need doctors and lawyers so badly. So-called "Israeli settlers" can shoot Palestinians at will without fear of prosecution so you do want a lot of doctors,and although it rarely does any good an attorney can at least try to keep your home from demolition because you aren't of the "right" ethnicity or religion.
Strange to say for a people whose land-claim is based on scripture,most Israelis are athiest or agnostic; all of the founders were: Golda Meir,David Gruen (Ben-Gurion),Chaim Weitzmann,Moshe Shertok,etc. About 80% of all Israelis are non-believers. The remainder are Orthodox Jews since the government does not recognize Reform Judaism; they cannot even perform marriages. Thus as things currently stand most Israelis are atheists and most Palestinians are Sunni Muslim.

[Lupines]

Hi. The Palestinians are mainly Muslim, some are Christian. Israel is predominately Jewish with some Christian, Druze, Muslims and others.

I need to dispute the "misinformation" that emanates from Zeno. The PFLP is a terrorist organization they applaud suicide bombing:

A speech given by Jabril with Khalid Meshal (Hamas leader, front row dead center)

"I ask you: This [Palestinian] people, which has made all these sacrifices... The [Palestinian] mother is unparalleled throughout history. She grabs her son and says to him: Off you go, on a martyrdom operation. When the second son comes, she says: Off you go, too, and then the third son, and the fourth. A [Palestinian] girl, in the prime of life, thinking of getting married, dons an explosive belt and plunges into the Israelis. This people, from the children to the elderly... I ask you, isn't it a shame that it has such a leadership? These people are crooks, robbers, and thieves.

Is it conceivable that the head of the negotiating team is Qure'i [Abu 'Allah], whom, by Allah, I have never seen on any battlefront? How come he is the one negotiating with the Israelis, while he and his sons are building the wall and the settlements in the West Bank? How can we trust these people to negotiate on behalf of the Palestinian people?" --Ahmad Jibril, Secretary-General of the PFLP – General Command, which aired on Al-Jazeera TV on May 9, 2008. http://www.memritv.org/clip/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/1775.htm


Also, the reason why the whole world witnessed Israel finally going into Gaza was because of constant rocket fire onto the civilians in Southern Israel AND the massive barrage of 100 rockets that started on Christmas Eve, with one of the rockets purposely aimed at a group of Christians trying to make their way to Bethlehem for festivities. I am so thoroughly disgusted by that behavior!!!

Olmert delivers last minute warning:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,472856,00.html


Many Palestinians are Islamofascists that could care less about Christian or Jewish interests in the Holy Land, if they did then they wouldn't support the desecration of the Holy Sites, examples of this are:

Christian cemeteries are defaced in the areas under control by the PA. Anti-Christian graffiti, such as "First the Saturday people, then the Sunday people," is commonplace. Christian businesses are burned. Christian women are raped. There is no legal recourse for the victims in this budding Islamic state.

In 2002, about 150 armed PA terrorists took over Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity, holding 40 Christian clergy and nuns hostage, while firing out at surrounding Israeli forces. Rather than risk the lives of the captives and the destruction of the historic church, Israel negotiated the release of the terrorists – but the church was irreparably scarred. The terrorists stole gold, prayer books, crosses and anything else that was not nailed down.

As a result of the intimidation, the harassment and the persecution of Christians in "Palestine," Christians are fleeing for their very lives. They are abandoning their homes, their churches and their businesses.

The truth about Christians in 'Palestine'
http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=31285

When the Hamas took control over Gaza in 2007, siezing all the social programs and civil establishments, they fired 3 rockets into the Christian nunnery there in Gaza.

• Shelling the Building of the Rose Nunnery
On 14 June 2007, the building of the Rose Nunnery near the headquarters of the Preventive Security Service in Tal al-Hawa neighborhood in the south of Gaza City was hit by 3 shells. A shell hit the school, another one hit the kindergarten and the third one hit the hostel on nuns.

2007 Militant Behavior
http://www.pchrgaza.org/files/Reports/English/pdf_spec/Gaza%20Conflict%20-%20Eng%209%20october..pdf

They have a long history of disrespect of Holy sites. They purposely destroyed our ancient Hurva Synagogue and when they went into Gaza they burned down the Synagogues there:

"Palestinians" are burning synagogues in Gush Katif
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydtJqFcRtGc&feature=PlayList&p=AC772B12470 99573&playnext=1&index=17

From 1948 to 1967 the Arabs used Judaism's Holiest area for a refuse dump and prohibited all Jewish access and Jewish people had to stare at it from across barbed wire fences. Israel regained control of our Holy Sites during the 6 Day War, and also insures safe passage for Christians Jews and Muslims to the rest of the Holy Sites in Judea and Samaria region

For more information on Judaism's Holy Site, view here:
Why the Wall is Holy:
http://www.aish.com/wallcam/Why_the_Wall_is_Holy.asp
By Rabbi Shraga Simmons, based on "The Western Wall," published by the Israeli Ministry of Defense

A non-extremist Islamic view, by Sheikh Palazzi
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBvPx75FLYs

[Galahad]

Zeno is essentially quite accurate so I will simply agree with his exposition. As to the profane insult above,that is quite typical of so-called "israelis". Most of them are atheists with no values at all other the creed "Do what thou wilt and that shall be the whole of the law." Name-calling and vulgar insults is about all you can expect from that lot.

[sabrinas]

listen to RJ

[RJm]

The first answer is correct, the second is full of sh*t. There are "progressive congregations" all over Israel.

*The terrorist lovers have starred your question so they can all come along now and spew their hatred. Expect the accurate answers to get thumbs-down and the bullshit answers to get thumbs-up, and then they'll come back, see the double digits, and feel better about their empty lives :-)

Terrorist-loving scum are an insult to filth everywhere.

[CoolBreeze]

The religion of the "Israelis" is the "religion" you see espoused by R.J. Filth spewing out filth.
The Palestinians tend to be devout Sunni Muslims.