ARTICLES

By Arlene Bridges Samuels

Global Jew hatred is rising at an alarming rate, yet the everyday realities that reveal the heart of Israeli society are often ignored.

For thousands of years, the Jewish story was intertwined with exile, persecution, and survival. Since the rebirth of the modern Jewish state in 1948, however, Israel has written a new chapter marked by innovation, resilience, and shared civic life. These successes are not achieved by Jews alone, but by a vibrant mosaic of citizens that includes Arabs, Christians, Druze, Bedouins, Ethiopians, and many others. The facts that follow are often overlooked, and that omission is itself an injustice.

Israel has sometimes been called a messy miracle. Like any nation, it is imperfect, yet it remains remarkably dynamic and good. With a population of approximately 7.4 million Jews and just over 2 million Arab citizens, tiny Israel demonstrates an outsized model of shared humanity. In a climate of distorted reporting, it is worth examining the reality on the ground.

Israeli Arab citizens are not outsiders. They are integral participants in the nation’s social, economic, and political life. In the north, the city of Haifa is frequently described as a model of shared society. With roughly 237,000 residents, Haifa is one of Israel’s most beautiful and industrious cities. It is home to the country’s largest and busiest seaport, serving as Israel’s primary gateway for international trade. Jews, Muslims, Christians, and Druze live in the same neighborhoods and work in the same professions.

At the University of Haifa, Arab students comprise about 40 percent of the student body, and 70 percent of those Arab students are women. Rambam Medical Center, the largest hospital in northern Israel, employs more than 6,000 staff members, including Jewish and Arab doctors, nurses, and pharmacists who serve patients together. During times of war, this cooperation becomes even more visible, as medical teams treat wounded soldiers and civilians side by side without regard to ethnicity or religion.

Modern Nazareth, located in the hills of the Lower Galilee, is Israel’s largest Arab majority city and is often called the Arab capital of Israel. Muslim Arabs, Christian Arabs, and a small Jewish community live and work together there. Muslim Arabs are prominent in commerce and municipal leadership. Christian Arabs administer many of Nazareth’s schools and social service institutions. Christian Arab students frequently achieve some of the highest academic results in the country.

Nazareth Baptist School, attended by both Christian and Muslim students, graduates young men and women who go on to become leaders in medicine, business, and education. Among Nazareth’s notable residents is Dr. Reverend Saleem Shalash, founder and pastor of Home of Jesus the King Church. For decades he has led humanitarian efforts that serve not only church members but also Jewish and Muslim neighbors. He often says, “Peace is not a concept. It is a person, and His name is Yeshua.”

The Israel Defense Forces also reflect this shared citizenship. For Jewish men and women, military service is mandatory after high school. For Arab citizens, service is voluntary. Nevertheless, thousands of Christian Arabs, Bedouin Muslims, and Druze choose to serve. Many rise to senior and elite positions.

Lieutenant Colonel Ihab Shlayan, a Greek Orthodox officer from Nazareth, became the IDF’s first Christian officer at that rank in a sensitive security role. Lieutenant Colonel Nader Eyada, a Bedouin Muslim battalion commander, spoke clearly after the October 7 Hamas atrocities: “Islam does not approve raping women, killing the elderly, and kidnapping children. Israeli Arabs and Israeli Jews are fighting shoulder to shoulder, and we will eliminate Hamas and protect our home, the State of Israel.” His words remind the world that terrorism does not define Islam and that Israeli Arabs are full partners in defending their country.

The Druze community represents another powerful example of shared destiny. Druze citizens, who practice a distinct monotheistic faith, requested formal alliance with Israel in 1956. Their partnership is often described as a blood covenant because Druze soldiers have served and fallen in every major conflict in Israel’s history. Today, Druze men are required to serve in the IDF, making them the only major non-Jewish community with mandatory service. Their loyalty and sacrifice are deeply respected throughout Israeli society.

Israel’s story is complex and often misunderstood. Yet within its complexity stands a clear truth. Jews, Muslims, Christians, Druze, and others build hospitals together, serve in the military together, study in universities together, and innovate together. Shared humanity is not a slogan in Israel. It is lived reality.

In a world fractured by division, Israel offers a model of imperfect but determined unity. Its foundation is not sameness but shared purpose. As Pastor Priscilla Shirer has said, “Unity does not mean sameness. It means oneness of purpose.” That spirit reflects the biblical exhortation in Ephesians 4:3 to make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

Our CBN Israel team invites you to join us in prayer and to share these often-neglected facts about a nation whose diversity is one of its greatest strengths.

Prayer Points:

• Pray that others will recognize and learn from Israel’s example of unity with shared purpose.
• Pray for strength and safety for every Israeli citizen.
• Pray for evangelicals to understand the urgency of sharing accurate information about Israel.
• Pray for IDF soldiers serving in ongoing conditions of war.

Arlene Bridges Samuels is the weekly feature columnist for CBN Israel since 2020. Working on the staff of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) as their SE Regional Outreach Director for nine years, International Christian Embassy Jerusalem USA engaged her as the Leadership Outreach Director part-time for their project American Christian Leaders for Israel. Arlene is an author at The Blogs-Times of Israel, is published at AllIsrael.com and The Jerusalem Connection, and has traveled to Israel since 1990. By invitation, she attends Israel’s Government Press Office Christian Media Summits as part of Christian media worldwide. In 2024, Arlene and her husband Paul co-authored Mental Health Meltdown: Illuminating the Voices of Bipolar and Other Mental Illnesses. www.TheMentalHealthMeltdown.com.