Why the Eastern Christians are fleeing the Middle East?
Shak Bernard Hanish

Abstract
Christians in the Middle East are facing critical conditions due to several factors. Large numbers of them are fleeing the area in search for safety and stability. Although they belong to different sects, they are simply called Eastern Christians. The paper discusses the current situation of the Eastern Christians in the Middle East, due to the rise of Islamic fundamentalism and extremism in the region, especially with the phenomenon of “the Arab Spring” and the events the followed the U.S. invasion of Iraq. In my paper, I will discuss the phenomenon of Christians fleeing the region especially in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, and Egypt where a large number of them are forced to leave their land of origin. They are becoming a target of extremism and they fear Islamists taking over some governments in the region. I will discuss the reasons behind such exile, who force them to leave, who facilitate their migration, and what are the implications of such an escape on Christianity in the East and the culture that survived nearly two thousand years. I will present possible solutions to the problem to keep Christians of the East in the region to save their culture and pluralism.

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