Jerusalem, 21 December, 2023 (TPS) -- Israel’s Christian population grew 1.3% in 2023, according to figures released by the Central Bureau of Statistics on Thursday, ahead of the Christmas holiday.
According to the data, 187,900 currently live in Israel, making up 1.9% of the country’s population.
Demographic studies in recent years have found that Israel is the only country in the Middle Ease with a growing Christian population.
The CBS reported that 75% of Israel’s Christians are Arab, with 70% living in northern Israel, and another 13% living in Haifa the metropolitan area. In September, the Tazpit Press Service reported that rising crime in the Arab sector was fueling Arab migration Israeli cities, particularly Haifa and Nazareth.
Of the non-Arab Christians in Israel, 36% live in the Tel Aviv area and central Israel and 38% live in Haifa and northern Israel.
The largest Christian community is in Nazareth, followed by Haifa, Jerusalem and the northern city of Shfar’am.
Because of the war, Israeli Christians are making Christmas festivities low-key. Nevertheless, the Jerusalem municipality continued its annual tradition of providing free Christmas trees to residents. The city distributed 350 trees on Wednesday.