Father Louis Salman’s expulsion threatens Palestinian Christians
Father Louis Salman
Xavier Abu Eid writes inn The NewArab on 7 July 2026:
A few weeks ago, the Israeli occupation authorities expelled Father Louis Salman from Palestine. Originally Palestinian and holding a Jordanian passport, Fr. Louis was the parish priest of Beit Sahour, one of the most important Christian communities near Bethlehem, and served in the Youth Ministry of Palestine. His last service took place on 10 May, an emotional moment for him and hundreds of Palestinian youth who bid him farewell.
The Israeli decision not to allow him to continue serving in Palestine has strongly affected the youth ministry as well as his parishioners, who cannot understand how their beloved priest — who brought hope to his community even during the toughest days of the Israeli genocide in Gaza — will no longer be among them.
While his community carries deep sorrow over his expulsion, the Catholic Church has remained silent. Palestinian media covered the situation as a new Israeli aggression against Palestinian religious rights. However, for foreign Christian media outlets, the reports were largely irrelevant. This once again shows a reality that is not always addressed: the historical differences between the approach of indigenous Palestinian Christian congregations, which demand justice, freedom, the rights of return, and self-determination, and foreign ecclesiastical hierarchies.