Special to WorldTribune.com

Palestinian Authority (PA) leaders on June 30 ignored a threat by Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) to slaughter Arab Christians in Jerusalem.

ISIL warned that “infidel Christians” had one month to leave Jerusalem or the city would be “purified” of them. The terror group also said it would attack the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.

Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah convened the PA government on June 30 and made no direct mention of the ISIL threat of genocide on the basis of religion.

Reports said that out of 1,737 words in Arabic from a government statement following the meeting only 21 words were used to mention the threat on Jerusalem.

“The government emphasized the unity of the Palestinian people, and denounced the dubious announcement seeking to harm the unity of the people and to incite a struggle in the holy city,” the statement said.

For the most part, the PA statement was dedicated to accusing Israel of “war crimes.”

Experts say the PA government’s brushing off of the ISIL threat is not surprising given the organization’s history of persecuting Christians. The Christian population in Bethlehem has all but disappeared under PA rule, from 60 percent in 1990 to just 15 percent last year.

  genocide, ISIL’s genocide threat against Christian Arabs in Jerusalem ignored by Palestinian Authority, Jerusalem Christians, Rami Hamdallah, WorldTribune.com