ICC Note: Ayelet Shaked, Justice Minister of Israel, has made a promise to protect Christian soldiers from reported incitement against them in the army. Attending the Christian Empowerment Council’s annual Christmas party in Nazareth, Shaked assured the Christian community that Israel is dedicated to protecting all citizens and that partnerships across religions is part of the foundation and survival of the nation.

12/09/2016 Israel (JPost): Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked said she has ordered the state attorney to investigate the case of incitement against Christian soldiers serving in the IDF.

“We will never abandon you,” she said at the Christian Empowerment Council’s annual Christmas party in Nazareth on Tuesday night. “We are with you in these difficult moments,” she said referring to the threats and attacks against Christian soldiers returning to their villages in uniform. Shaked said she told the prosecution to seriously address each case of incitement.

The member of the Bayit Yehudi told the audience that the members of the Christian community serving in the army are fulfilling the vision of first prime minister David Ben-Gurion.

“You are partners in the protection of the country and are breaking the barriers between Jews and Christians who live here together in this country.

Thanks to [Christian Empowerment Council leader] Father Gabriel Naddaf’s operations Christian soldiers from cities and villages are fighting together with Jewish soldiers and [soldiers from] other communities to protect Israel.”

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Father Gabriel Naddaf said Jews and Christians, who are the “roots of the country,” should be citizens with equal rights and duties when it comes to joining the army, doing national service and taking responsibility for their role in civilian life.

“Our council’s main mission is to get Christians to integrate into Israeli society, for our youth to enlist to enlist in the army to protect this house, which belongs to all of us,” he said. “If, God forbid, Israel will weaken the Christian population than the same extremist factors in the Middle East will do even worse.”

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