A report submitted to the United Nations accuses Syria’s transitional government of arbitrarily detaining Christians and other minorities, alleging some are targeted because of their religious identity and forced to adopt Islamic practices while in custody.

The report by Christian Solidarity International documents cases of detainees allegedly being denied Bibles and crosses, forced to fast during Ramadan, and prevented from practicing their faith. It also cites allegations of torture, extortion, and the arbitrary detention of Christians, Alawites, and Kurdish journalists without trial.

The organization warned that the abuses violate both Syria’s constitution and international human rights law, raising fresh concerns over the treatment of religious minorities under the country’s new leadership.

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strongly rejected claims of growing hostility toward Christians in Israel, calling recent anti-Christian incidents isolated “aberrations” that do not reflect Israeli values or policy.

Speaking in an off-air portion of a CBS “60 Minutes” interview, Netanyahu defended Israel’s record, arguing it remains the only country in the Middle East where Christians truly “thrive,” unlike neighboring states where Christian communities have faced persecution and decline.

Addressing incidents involving attacks on Christian symbols and worshippers, Netanyahu stressed that those responsible were punished and insisted such acts go “against our ethos” and respect for Christianity.

“Israel is the one country in the Middle East that protects Christians, that values Christians, that embraces Christianity,” he said.

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