Discover
The identity of the nation
Palestine is the biblical land par excellence: hills where patriarchs and prophets once walked, and where Jesus of Nazareth was born, lived, and died. Today this territory, divided between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, is home to a predominantly Arab and Muslim people with a strong identity, tied to the land, the extended family, and centuries of shared history among Arabs, Jews, and Christians.
Faith deeply shapes daily Palestinian life. The great majority follow Sunni Islam, with daily prayers, fasting, and generosity that cross every social layer. Alongside it survives one of the oldest Christian communities in the world, present in Bethlehem, Nablus, Ramallah, and Jerusalem since the earliest centuries of the church, now reduced to less than 2% of the population and in continuous emigration.
Decades of conflict, occupation, and, more recently, a devastating war in Gaza have left deep marks of trauma, loss, and displacement on nearly every family. Even so, the Palestinian people are known for sumud (the capacity to remain steadfast on the land despite everything), for generous hospitality, and for attachment to traditions passed down from generation to generation, from olive cultivation to traditional embroidery.
For the church around the world, Palestine represents both a challenge and a calling: to sustain in prayer and friendship the Arab Christians who endure amid war and isolation, and to reach with sensitivity a majority Muslim population, for whom following Christ comes at a great family and social cost. It is a land of living biblical memory and, at the same time, of people still far from the gospel, waiting for those willing to love and to stay.
- Ancient biblical land, home to Canaanites, Hebrews, and Philistines, birthplace of Christianity in the time of Jesus.
- 7th century The region becomes part of the Arab and Muslim world following the Islamic conquests.
- 1517-1917 Four centuries under Ottoman Empire rule.
- 1917-1948 British Mandate for Palestine, marked by waves of Jewish immigration and growing tensions between Arabs and Jews.
- 1948 End of the British mandate and creation of the State of Israel; the ensuing war displaces hundreds of thousands of Palestinians.
- 1967 Six-Day War: Israel begins occupying the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip.
- 1993 The Oslo Accords create the Palestinian Authority, with limited self-government in parts of the territory.
- 2007 Hamas takes control of the Gaza Strip, politically dividing the Palestinian territory.
- 2023 A devastating war begins in Gaza, with enormous loss of life and destruction.
- Today A people divided between the West Bank and a Gaza under reconstruction, keeping alive the hope for peace and recognition.
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Arabicofficial, spoken by nearly the entire population, in the Palestinian Levantine dialect
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Englishtaught in schools and used in commerce and tourism
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Hebrewspoken by many Palestinians due to daily contact with Israel, especially at work
Palestine is made up of two territories separated by Israel: the West Bank, a region of hills and plateaus inland, and the Gaza Strip, a narrow coastal strip on the Mediterranean Sea. The West Bank is marked by the hills of Nablus, Hebron, and Jerusalem, with fertile valleys and the Jordan Valley to the east, one of the lowest areas on Earth. Gaza, densely populated, is only a few kilometers wide and depends on the sea and limited farmland. The landscape is dotted with ancient olive terraces that have covered the hills for generations.
Major cities
- RamallahDe facto administrative center of the Palestinian Authority, in the West Bank
- BethlehemBirthplace of Jesus, an important center of Christian pilgrimage
- NablusKnown for traditional olive oil soap production and for the sweet knafeh
- HebronOne of the oldest cities in the world, famous for glass and pottery production
- JerichoOne of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in history, in the lowest part of the Earth
- East JerusalemClaimed as the Palestinian capital, home to sites sacred to three religions
- Gaza CityThe largest city in the Gaza Strip, the region's historic and cultural center
Climate and temperature
Musakhan
Roasted chicken over caramelized onions and sumac, served on taboon bread; considered the national dish.
Maqluba
Rice with meat and vegetables cooked in layers and flipped upside down when served.
Maftoul
Hand-rolled wheat pellets, a kind of Palestinian couscous, served with chicken or lamb.
Knafeh
Sweet made with fine pastry and melted cheese, topped with sugar syrup, a specialty of the city of Nablus.
Olive oil
A central ingredient in the cuisine, harvested from olive groves passed down through generations.
Falafel
Fried balls of chickpeas or fava beans, served in pita bread with vegetables and sauces.
Understand
Culture and spirituality
2a · The culture
Sacred hospitality
Welcoming a guest well is a matter of honor; refusing food or coffee offered is seen as an insult.
Respect for elders
The elderly are treated with special reverence in every family and social decision.
Attachment to the land
The relationship with the land, olive groves, and hometown villages is central to Palestinian identity.
Extended family life
Important decisions usually involve the whole family, not just the immediate household.
Art of resistance
Poetry, traditional embroidery (tatreez), and music carry the memory and identity of the people through hard times.
Deeply rooted faith
In both Islam and local Christianity, faith shapes daily life, customs, and celebrations.
- Refusing food or coffee offered It is considered impolite; accepting at least a little shows respect for the host.
- Overpraising an object in the home The host may feel obliged to offer it as a gift.
- Dressing immodestly Clothing that covers arms and legs is expected, especially in more conservative areas.
- Discussing politics carelessly The subject is sensitive and laden with pain; listen more than you speak.
- Showing impatience or haste Social rhythm values calm conversation and presence, not speed.
- Treating the people's suffering with pity Dignity and partnership matter more than condescending compassion.
2b · The field
Areas of spiritual battle and cultural captivity to cover in prayer. Tap each point to understand:
Decades of war and losses leave deep wounds that call for healing and comfort.
The cycle of violence feeds resentment that only the gospel can break.
The national cause, though legitimate, risks taking the place that belongs only to God.
Movements that mix faith and power compete for the people's loyalty, overshadowing the gospel.
The sense that nothing changes breeds spiritual discouragement and resignation.
Christian families leave their homeland, emptying out the living presence of the local church.
Rivalries between long-standing denominations hinder a united witness.
Those who leave Islam to follow Christ face strong rejection from their own family.
Blockades, unemployment, and dependence on aid undermine hope for the future.
The constant flow of international assistance can breed spiritual passivity.
Christians in Palestine, today less than 2% of the population, live a reality of quiet pressure and the community’s continual shrinking. In Gaza, the war has drastically reduced the small number of Christian families, who endure amid destruction and scarcity, often isolated from the rest of the body of Christ worldwide.
In the West Bank and Jerusalem, the historic church, mostly Orthodox and Catholic, keeps its ancient traditions but loses members to emigration in search of work and security abroad. Those born Muslim who decide to follow Jesus face the greatest pressure: rejection by their own family, social isolation, and, in some cases, threats, since conversion is seen as a betrayal of collective identity.
Despite this, small communities of local believers keep gathering, and historic churches in Bethlehem, Nablus, and Ramallah remain open, bearing witness amid the conflict. The Christian faith in Palestine endures as the living memory of a church born there two thousand years ago and, though weakened, refuses to disappear.
The persecution score runs from 0 to 100: the higher it is, the greater the pressure on Christians.
Palestine brings together 8 people groups, according to Joshua Project, with the Palestinian Arabs standing out as the vast majority of the population. Six of these groups, including Palestinian Arabs, Syrians, and Levant Bedouin, along with the Israeli Jewish and Samaritan communities, are still considered unreached with the gospel. Small historic Christian communities, such as the Western Aramaic people linked to the Syriac churches, keep an ancient faith alive, increasingly diminished by emigration and conflict.
- 5.6M Unreached 99,1%
- 0 Minimally reached 0%
- 3K Superficially reached 0,1%
- 50K Partially reached 0,9%
- 0 Significantly reached 0%
- 6 Unreached 75%
- 0 Minimally reached 0%
- 1 Superficially reached 12,5%
- 1 Partially reached 12,5%
- 0 Significantly reached 0%
Source of people group data: Joshua Project (joshuaproject.net). Estimates, may vary.
Árabe Egípcio Muçulmano
Eastern Egyptian Bedawi Bedouin Frontier
Judeus Israelenses
Árabe Palestino
Samaritan Frontier
Árabe Sírio
Deaf Frontier
Source: Joshua Project. Estimates, may vary.
Pray
Intercede for this nation
Every nation carries a redemptive purpose. Marks that seem woven into the identity God desires to restore:
Go
Practical details for those who want to go
Local time
Cost of living
About 3 to 4 times cheaper than Israel
Cost by city
Reference values (source: Numbeo). Confirm before traveling.
Practical points for those who go
- Learn a few words in Arabic: a simple "salam" (peace) already opens doors and hearts.
- Respect Muslim prayer times when planning meetings and visits.
- Dress modestly, covering shoulders and knees, especially in more conservative areas.
- Be prepared for delays and changes of plan: daily life is marked by the region's instability.
- Carry cash: international cards are not always accepted outside the larger centers.
- Listen more than you speak about politics: earn trust before offering an opinion.
- Use shared taxis (service) to travel between cities, the most common means of transport.
- Ask permission before photographing people, especially women and the elderly.
- Learn to say "shukran" (thank you): small courtesies in Arabic open many doors.
- Bring sunscreen and a hat: the climate is hot and dry for most of the year.
Send and sustain
Not everyone goes, everyone takes part
Not everyone goes. Everyone takes part.
Behind every worker among these peoples stands a network of people who pray without ceasing, care for the family left behind, and faithfully sustain the work. Sending is mission too.
Start with your church: introduce this nation, adopt it in ongoing prayer, and walk alongside those God is raising up to go.