US Lawmaker Greene Meets Bethlehem Mayor Canawati, Raises Claims of Christian Persecution

US Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene met with Bethlehem Mayor Maher Canawati in the West Bank on Sunday. During the visit she accused regional actors of targeting Christian communities, while local officials emphasized the city’s fragile religious and economic landscape.

Greene described her trip as a fact-finding visit focused on religious freedom and argued that Christian communities in the Holy Land face growing pressure. The Media Line describes her as a conservative Republican from Georgia with strong support among Christian nationalist voters, and notes that she has frequently connected Middle East policy to faith-based advocacy.

Canawati, a Christian leader in the historic Palestinian city, has long asked international partners to help protect Bethlehem’s shrinking Christian population and to preserve what he calls the “living stones” of the Holy Land, the local believers who sustain the area’s religious identity. He has previously warned that economic hardship, political tensions, and emigration are eroding the Christian presence in the birthplace of Jesus, a call to protect a vulnerable community (Proverbs 31:8-9).

Greene’s comments included criticism of alleged discrimination against Christians, and they drew attention because they came during a period of heightened political sensitivity across the region. Palestinian officials and church leaders have often cited travel restrictions, declining tourism, and ongoing conflict as major drivers of Christian emigration. Israeli officials frequently respond that Israel guarantees freedom of worship and protects holy sites.

The meeting also carried diplomatic overtones. US lawmakers visiting Bethlehem have traditionally balanced outreach to Israeli and Palestinian figures, and The Media Line reports that Greene’s appearance signaled an effort to appeal to faith-based audiences at home, where evangelical voters remain deeply invested in the future of the Holy Land.

Analysts note that Christian communities across Israel and the Palestinian territories face competing pressures, including security concerns, economic instability, and political narratives promoted abroad. Bethlehem’s leadership has repeatedly sought foreign investment and pilgrim tourism to stabilize the city’s economy and preserve its diverse religious heritage.

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