Religion
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The majority of Palestinians are Muslim, including those living overseas. All residents in the Palestinian Territories are required to declare a religion on an identification card issued by the Israeli government. According to this record, 98% of Palestinians identify as Sunni Muslims.1 Christianity is the main minority religion, with roughly 52,000 Palestinian Christians believed to be living across the occupied territories as of 2013.2 It is believed that the number of religiously unaffiliated Palestinians (i.e. atheists and agnostics) in the West Bank and Gaza is very low.
There is also a substantial population of Jewish Israeli settlers residing in the West Bank and East Jerusalem (see Israeli Settlements in the West Bank under Core Concepts).3 Jewish settlers in the West Bank are generally more religious than those living in Israel, with a higher proportion identifying themselves as ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) (26%) and religious (Dati) (36%).4 For information on the Jewish Israeli population, see Religion in the Israeli Cultural Profile.
Islamic History in the Region
Islam was introduced to the region as early as the 7th century, tracing back to the time of the Prophet Muhammad. Many Palestinians continue to refer to the area of present-day Israel and the currently occupied Palestinian Territories as the “Holy Land”, due to the deep historical ties the land shares with Islamic history. Those who are more religiously conservative may believe that the land of Palestine is part of a sacred Islamic trust reserved for Muslims that cannot be sold or traded without breaking trust with Allah (God).5
Jerusalem is a very holy city held sacred to Palestinians, as well as Jews, Muslims and Christians alike across the world. The city is home to two important Islamic sites: the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock. Both sites, located in close proximity, commemorate the place where the Prophet Muhammad is believed to have prayed during his night journey and ascended into heaven (Isra and Miraj). These sites are a popular pilgrimage destination for Muslims worldwide. Ongoing conflict and occupation by Israel have prevented most Palestinians from being able to access such religious sites and cultural heritage. Foreigners generally have much greater and widespread access to Jerusalem than Palestinians – this can be a point of frustration or sorrow.
Islam in the Palestinian Territories
Many Palestinians’ personal, political and legal lives are guided by Sunni Islamic principles in the Palestinian Territories. Dominant legislation around marriage, divorce, child support and inheritance is based on Shari’a law. There is very little religious conversion from Islam or intermarriage between Muslims and people of other religions. Most Palestinians who are raised Muslim continue to identify with the religion into adulthood.
Religious observance is quite strong in the Palestinian Territories. Many people pray daily, participate in weekly worship, and have found ways to continue practising their religion despite the impacts of conflict. For example, Gazans will come together to share food during Ramadan despite severe food shortages. According to the Pew Research Center, 85% of Muslims in the Palestinian Territories say religion is very important in their lives.4 This figure is higher than that of Palestinian Muslims living in Israel (68%).4 The older generation and those living in rural areas or Gaza are generally more conservative. However, there are differences in observance across society, with those living in Israel, overseas and urban areas of the West Bank tending to be more in their practice. Many Palestinian Muslims living in the may not practice Islam but continue to affiliate with it on a cultural or familial basis.
Political Islam
Palestinian society was quite prior to the 1960s and ’70s. For example, it was less common for Palestinian women to wear . The urban Palestinian elite has also been historically opposed to religious , being a force for ideological moderation. However, over the latter half of the 20th century, decreasing hope for independence amongst Palestinians led many to turn towards political Islam as a potential means for stronger leadership against Israeli occupation. As such, the visibility of Islam has been influenced by the rise of ideologies and changing political eras in the Middle East.
Today, Gaza is governed by Hamas, an Islamic militant group and political party. Hamas subscribes to moderate Islamism (belonging to the Brotherhood Movement), meaning it adheres to a more conservative interpretation of Islam than that applied in the West Bank. This has seen women’s freedom of movement, dress codes and cultural activities restricted (or enforced) in cases where Hamas believes they contradict Islamic values. There are also other active Islamic factions and political parties, including some minor Salafist militant groups that practice an ultra-conservative interpretation of Sunni Islam. Such militants generally focus their actions on fighting a violent campaign against Israel (which they believe to be religiously endorsed by God), rather than focusing on the religious practices of other Gazans.
Christianity in the Palestinian Territories
Many Christians consider the region of to be sacred, along with Muslims and Jews. The cities of Bethlehem and Jerusalem feature prominently in the Bible’s account of Jesus' life. Approximately 52,000 Palestinian Christians are believed to live across the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem as of 2013.2 Most live in East Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Ramallah and Nablus, with a few residing in Gaza. A significant portion of the population also resides in Israel. However, the majority of Palestinian Christians have emigrated from the region since the 1948 conflict. Estimates of the proportion of Palestinians who are Christian worldwide range from 6% to 15%.6, 2 They are most commonly members of the Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Greek Catholic, Syrian Orthodox, Lutheran and Armenian Orthodox churches (as well as many others).2
Palestinian Christians rarely face social discrimination from other Palestinians based on their religious affiliation. They are generally accepted throughout society, with each group preferring to focus on their shared identity as Palestinians rather than their religious differences. Christian Palestinians are also subjected to the same restrictions on their freedom by Israel as Muslim Palestinians. The Christian community has played an active role in supporting inter-faith dialogue between Palestinians and Israelis, advocating for tolerance.1 Christians living in the West Bank do not have to abide by Islamic law regarding marriage, divorce, child support, and inheritance. They may apply the law of their respective Christian ecclesiastical systems. The few Christians living in Gaza may keep a lower profile as Hamas implements a more conservative interpretation of Islam that does not allow proselytism of another religion.
Inter-religious Interactions and Tensions
The Muslim majority and Christian minority share a history of tolerance and respect. For example, Palestinians may close shops according to their individual religion and celebrate religious holidays together. In the city of Bethlehem, some Muslims celebrate Christmas by decorating their houses with trees and lights. In this way, many Palestinians describe themselves as tolerant and accepting of other religions.
However, there are obvious tensions between Palestinian Muslims and Israeli Jews. This is most noticeable in Israel and around Israeli settlements of the West Bank, where the two populations are more likely to interact. In 2016, 37% of all Muslims surveyed by the Pew Forum in Israel said they had suffered discrimination based on their religious identity in the past year (e.g. questioned by security officials, prevented from travelling or physically threatened or attacked).4 Roughly eight-in-ten Arabs (79%) believed there was significant discrimination against Muslims.4
The Palestinian-Israeli conflict was initially dominated by nationalist movements. However, in recent decades, leaders of Israel, the West Bank and Gaza have moved towards justifying their national aspirations via religious rhetoric.7 As a result, some fundamentally conservative religious groups may frame the conflict as a struggle between Muslims and Jews, believing that their national agenda is endorsed by God.5
Many Palestinians do not view the Palestinian–Israeli conflict as a matter of religious incompatibility or coexistence. Rather, they often express respect for Judaism while opposing specifically (see Core Concepts in the Israeli Cultural Profile).2 Therefore, tensions are more commonly expressed in response to the Zionist campaign of establishing, supporting and protecting a Jewish nation-state in the historic region of Palestine. For example, some Palestinians may be sensitive to references to their homeland as the Jewish State of “Israel”.8