A quiet revolution is under way in the Arabic-speaking Israeli-Christian community. More and more young Christians see themselves as Israelis first and refuse to bend to political interests that do not serve them.

These young people want to be part of the State of Israel and Israeli society in every way, including by joining the army. This initiative should be welcomed by anyone who champions a democratic, humanistic approach that views each person as a citizen first.

But not everyone shares this attitude. The Christian-Israeli revolution has plenty of enemies, not only in Arab nationalist circles, but also on the Jewish extreme right and Jewish extreme left. These three groups, ostensibly very different, promote the same racist-Kahanist position that rejects the enlistment of Israeli Christians. All three groups view Christian Israelis as “Arabs” or “non-Jews,” not as Israeli citizens with equal rights and duties.

Fortunately, a strong majority of Israelis doesn’t share this racism and wholeheartedly supports the amazing revolution. But tacit support isn’t enough. The time has come for the silent majority to compel its politicians, on the right and on the left, to stand – in deed as well as in word – beside the country’ citizens who want to contribute.

Members of the Israeli-Christian Arabic-speaking community are sharply divided over their identity. Some see themselves as Palestinian Arabs, and in a free and democratic state, this choice must be respected. But many, who until recently lived underground and were silenced, don’t see themselves as Palestinian and sometimes not as Arab. Rather, they consider themselves Israeli Christian. Some in this group have rediscovered their roots in the ancient Land of Israel, in Aramaic and Greek culture.

Read the article in full at Haaretz.