In regard to Ryan Rodrick Beiler’s article “Pro-Israeli, Pro-Palestinian, Pro-Jesus” (March 2015) concerning the prospects for Palestinian-Israeli peace, it would be worthwhile to examine unemotionally the demographics of the area. There have been Christian communities in the Middle East since the time of Christ. There has, of course, been a lessening in numbers since the advent of Islam, but in the past 50 years there has been drastic erosion. The town of Bethlehem, once a thriving, prosperous, virtually all-Christian community, is now but a shadow of its former self. This marked decline is evident everywhere except in Israel proper, where the Christian population, virtually all Arab, is growing both through natural increase and immigration.
Sol Schindler
Bethesda, Maryland
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