Nazareth is in Israel

Submitted by Wesley Landen (United States), Jul 11, 2006 at 14:00

While the essence of Dr. Pipes' article about the repressive aspects of Muslim rule are accurate, the reference to Nazareth as an example is misleading. Nazareth is located in Israel. It does have an Arab city leadership, but the citizens of Nazareth are ultimately subject to Israeli law, not Palestinian Administration.

Bethlehem is an accurate depiction of a city where Muslim Palestinian rule has forced out the former Christian majority. Christians have left Nazareth, but the repressive legal environment is different. The adjacent community of Upper Nazareth is intensively Jewish, and Christians have no problem living there.

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Daniel Pipes replies:

The same factors are at work in both towns, despite their different circumstances - namely the anti-Christian attitudes of Muslims generally and Islamists in particular.