Soldier handing a Palestinian girl a lollipop. Photo: IDF.

JNS.org – A young Israeli-Arab Christian woman, Rajada Jaraisi, has taken to social media to speak out in support of Israel and the right to enlist the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).

Jaraisi’s statement on Facebook comes amid tension within the Israeli-Arab community over military service. Recently, Greek Orthodox cleric Father Gabriel Nadaf was allegedly threatened by Arab members of the Israeli Knesset for encouraging Arab Christian youths to enlist in the IDF. Israel’s attorney general has launched an investigation into the incident, Israel Hayom reported.

In an open letter to Arab MK Hanin Zoabi posted on her Facebook account, Jaraisi said that Zoabi does not speak for her or for other Israeli Christians.

“I am an Arabic-speaking Christian, but I am not an Arab. I ask, with all due respect, that you not say in the name of the Christians that ‘we are Palestinians.’ Hear me, we are not Palestinians and we don’t care about them. We are Israeli Christians, covered in blue and white in our hearts and souls,” Jaraisi wrote, according to a translation provided by The Jewish Press.

Jaraisi added, “If you object to the Christians enlisting in the IDF, please permit me to answer you that neither you, nor [MK Basel] Ghattas will build our future here and give us the same rights as our state, the State of Israel, is giving us… We simply love blue and white. And we as Christians will enlist in the IDF and will serve the state.”