La majorité des touristes en Israël sont chrétiens et pas juifs, le saviez-vous?

Israël respecte et accueille chaleureusement les chrétiens.

Arbre de Noël dans la vieille ville de Jérusalem.

Did you know that the majority of tourists to the Jewish state are not Jewish but Christian? In 2012, nearly 60 percent of the 2.88 million visitors to Israel were Christians, and about a third of those were pilgrims come to visit holy sites.

This Christmas season, two major, privately funded innovations are being promoted by the Israeli Tourism Ministry, which is putting increasing resources into existing and new Christian tourist sites.

The International Center Mary of Nazareth, located next to the Roman Catholic Basilica of the Annunciation, is run by an ecumenical French Catholic community with the aim of creating unity among Christians of different denominations and with other religions through the example of the Virgin Mary. “In order for there to be peace with others, we have to make peace among ourselves,” explains the center’s Sister Beatrice Bourrat to ISRAEL21c, when asked about the current mass persecution of Christians in the Arab-Muslim world.  Bourrat proudly displays the beautiful building, surrounded by well-tended gardens, as she promotes brotherly – or sisterly – love.  Suite.