They are older than the Jewish people, see themselves as the first Christians, and are loyal to the state: the Arameans in Israel. Shadi Khalloul from the village of Gish near the Lebanese border belongs to this minority. He spoke with Christians who stand with Israel about his mission to return the Arameans to their roots, as most of them now live as Arabs. The questions were posed by Dana Nowak.
Dana Nowak: In 2014, Israel recognized the Arameans as a distinct national population group. Previously, they were classified as Arabs. What has changed for the Aramean community since then?
Shadi Khalloul: The recognition was a great achievement. I worked hard for it for many years – starting with teaching Aramaic. Our church provided me with a room for this. For two years, my brother and I taught Aramaic voluntarily. In 2009, we were officially allowed to offer our language in a primary school. The Arab city administration and Arab politicians were against it and repeatedly put obstacles in our way.
The recognition granted in 2014 is not merely symbolic. It fundamentally changed things. It's not about your religion being recognized, but your nationality. That changes everything. You then have the right to teach your language and your history. You have the right to live as a community, the right to school buses for your children, just like other nationalities in the country.
Many Muslims live in our village. Before our religious affiliation was recognized, we Arameans were considered Arabs and thus subject to the Islamic curriculum. This curriculum teaches Arabic and Islamic history in schools. I learned all about the history of Islam at school, but nothing about Judaism or my own people, how and where we developed. This lack of knowledge uproots us. In Islam, history begins with Muhammad, as if nothing existed before him.
That's why I sent my own children to a Hebrew school. I want them to learn Hebrew and the whole story, to live in coexistence, to understand Israeli history. They don't learn any of that at an Arab school. This Hebrew school is located on a kibbutz. About 30 families send their children there. But there was no school bus. That was a problem. With the recognition of our nationality, that changed, and we benefit from the right to free transportation, which is granted to all recognized nationalities in the country.
There were churches that spoke out against the recognition of Aramaic nationality in Israel. Why?
Yes, that was the Latin Patriarchate in Jerusalem. As a spiritual leader, the Patriarch is supposed to be politically neutral. I'm sorry to say it, but he isn't. He's political in many respects. I spoke with him personally and asked him why he condemns my efforts and the recognition by Israel. He replied that he had been forced to do so by the Palestinian Authority (PA). The PA doesn't want the world to see that Israel is good for the Christians in the land. They don't want the Jewish people to be seen in a positive light. The Patriarch was threatened by Palestinians, and he gave in.
I have another example. When we encouraged our citizens to serve in the Israeli army, representatives of the Palestinian Authority contacted the United Nations and the Greek Orthodox Patriarch and threatened them. They don't want us Christians and Jews to live together peacefully and harmoniously in this country. They are always putting obstacles in our way.
You too have already been threatened…
Yes, I've been threatened too. But there's only one person we should fear, and that's God. Anyone who's afraid of people shouldn't be a leader. If you have a vision and want to implement it, you have to be able to control your fears and worries. Fear paralyzes. When I was elected to politics to represent my people, unknown assailants threw a grenade at my house. No one was hurt. Afterward, I certainly considered whether and how I should continue to appear and speak in public. But should I do what most Christians do, who give up out of fear and do nothing anymore? No, that can't be the case.
Israel's minorities, such as the Druze, Bedouin, and Arameans, are not obligated to perform military service. Yet many volunteer. Why?
Because life in Israel means freedom. Israel grants minorities freedoms they wouldn't have in neighboring Arab countries or under an Islamic government. We have full freedom of speech, freedom of religion, good education, and equal rights for all. These rights must be defended. So why not serve the state that ensures you can live in freedom? I served in the army myself because I wanted to protect this state for myself, my children, and my children's children. I want this state to flourish and be a safe and beautiful place. That's why I served, and I encourage others to do the same.
In 2017, we launched a program that prepares Christian and Jewish youths for joint military service over a seven-month period. During this time, they learn more about and understand each other's cultures and identities. They don't have much contact with each other beforehand.
Years ago, they founded the Israeli-Christian Organization of Arameans (ICAA). What is their goal?
Currently, more than 15,000 Israelis have registered as Arameans. But there are still so many of us—we call them our lost brothers and sisters. They have lost their identity, and we want to help them reconnect with their roots. They should recognize their connection to the Jewish people and the Holy Land. Jesus lived here as a Jew and spoke Aramaic. Arameans were among the first Christians. But centuries of Arabization in the region have caused people to forget their true origins.
With our organization, we want to raise awareness of our Aramaic roots and our identity. This is a long process. We tell people that they have a better future if they return to their roots. They will then no longer be part of the conflict between Jews and Arabs, because their roots are not Arab and Muslim; their ancestors were Arameans and Christians. We should not be part of the Arab-Jewish conflict. We have nothing to do with it. On the contrary, we have a connection to the Jewish people; our Messiah, Jesus, is Jewish. Arab culture and Islam were imposed on the Arameans. But if they find their way back to their roots and accept Jesus, then they can be bridge builders and peacemakers. The Bible says…
…that one day there will be a road from Assyria to Egypt. I was reminded of this Bible passage (Isaiah 19:23) by your words.
Exactly! When the people here rediscover their Aramaic roots and shed the once-imposed Arab identity, then this biblical prophecy will be fulfilled. We see ourselves as the missing piece of the puzzle.
Aramaic Christians still live in Syria. How do you assess their situation now that the former rebel leader Ahmed al-Sharaa has seized power there?
It's difficult, but something could come of this new situation. For that to happen, however, we need the West. It must understand that reversing Arabization is crucial and essential for peace. It mustn't play the same game it has played for years and further strengthen Islam in the region.
The ancestors of many Muslims were Christians centuries ago, and the ancestors of many Arabs were Arameans and other nationalities. Returning to their roots will serve the cause of peace. We hope that the Germans, the Dutch, the EU, the USA, and all those involved in talks with Syria will advocate for us Arameans. We are currently in discussions with politicians about this. If we are recognized in Syria, then we will be allowed to teach our language and history in schools. At the moment, this is forbidden.
Following Hamas' brutal attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, Israel was also subjected to massive attacks by Hezbollah in Lebanon. Tens of thousands of Israelis were evacuated. Did you also have to leave your home on the Golan Heights?
We live in Upper Galilee, three kilometers from the Lebanese border. We could have been evacuated. Some families left. They didn't want their children to witness the constant explosions and hear the rockets Hezbollah fired at us. But many of us stayed, partly to protect the town. Our biggest worry wasn't the rockets, but the threat of Hezbollah fighters infiltrating us. It was hard. People were killed and injured, houses destroyed, our businesses collapsed, and our farmland lay fallow. There was no life around us anymore, because most people had evacuated. But we survived, and here we are now. We have a ceasefire.
Hopefully, the Lebanese people will be wise and dissolve and disarm Hezbollah. It is a terrorist group that serves not Lebanese interests, but Iranian ones. I am worried about the Christians in Lebanon. They are being drawn into the hatred of people who want to fight.
Do you have a message for Christians in Europe?
Help us preserve our identity and language in Israel. We want to establish an Aramaic school in Haifa where Christian Arabs can learn about their roots and heritage. We are working to reverse Arabization and thereby build bridges of peace. We want to play a role in this region.
Thank you so much for the conversation!
Background: The Arameans
The original homeland of the Arameans was Mesopotamia. Today, they live as an indigenous Christian minority primarily in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, and southeastern Turkey, in addition to Israel. Due to centuries of persecution by Muslims, there are also large communities in North and South America, as well as in Europe.
The Aramean people are older than the Jewish people. Several individuals are referred to as Arameans in the Bible, including Abraham in Deuteronomy 26:5 (some Bible translations use the word "Syrian"). Arameans were among the first Christians. Their language was the lingua franca of the Middle East around 2000 years ago. With the rise of Islam in the 7th century, they faced massive persecution.
Like all other peoples of the region, the Arameans were subjected to the imposition of Islam and Arabic culture. Those who wished to survive either adapted or fled. Over the centuries, many Arameans lost their language, culture, and Christian faith. Hundreds of thousands of Aramean Christians have been murdered in the past 2,000 years. In southeastern Turkey alone, between 500,000 and 750,000 Arameans were killed by the Ottomans and their Islamic allies during the First World War.
This article first appeared in our newspaper "Israelaktuell," issue 140. You can order the newspaper here . We would also be happy to send you several copies for distribution.
