Here Is How Christmas Day Is Like for Christian Palestinians This Year
In a departure from the traditional festive spirit, Bethlehem, the revered birthplace of Jesus, is draped in a shroud of solemnity this Christmas — a shared sentiment that has led Christian Palestinians to cancel Christmas this year.
For Palestinians in the West Bank, Christmas Day today has started with the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) zeroing its genocidal attacks in on the Jenin refugee camp as well as Bethlehem.
The genocidal attack on Palestinians has cast a long shadow over the Holy Land of Jesus, shattering the customary celebrations and rendering the city, usually abuzz with pilgrims, eerily silent.
The vibrant Manger Square, stripped of its customary adornments, stands as a testimony to the cancellation of Christmas festivities — a profound economic setback for Bethlehem, where tourism contributes to a staggering 70% of the town’s income, particularly during the Christmas season, according to AP News.
A haunting Nativity scene in the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church offers a poignant glimpse into the harsh reality of Christmas for Christian Palestinians, with a statuette of Jesus being amidst the debris of Gaza — a powerful visual commentary on the toll exacted by the annihilating escalation of violence against innocent Palestinian civilians.
It is worth adding that the Spokesperson for the Ministry of Health in Gaza Dr. Ashraf al-Qudra has reported that IOF intensified its genocidal bombings on the Maghazi and the Bureij refugee camps in central Gaza yesterday on Christmas Eve, killing over 170 Palestinians so far, according to Al Jazeera English.
The evocative scene in the local church, now viral, serves as a stark reminder of the struggles faced by Palestinians, especially with them being unable to observe Christmastime in peace. “If Jesus was born today, he would be born under the rubble of Gaza,” said Reverend Munther Isaac as he stood beside the figurine.
Bethlehem Mayor Hanna Hanania and Chamber of Commerce Head Samir Hazboun have not minced words in condemning Israel’s actions, calling them for what they are: ethnic cleansing and genocide.
As all nations celebrate Christmas this year, the absence of celebrations — let alone being targeted on that day specifically — in the Land of Jesus rings louder than any bells jingled across the world.
Addressing the sparse gathering in Bethlehem, Latin Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa acknowledged the challenging circumstances but called for hope despite the prevailing violence. However, the reality paints a starkly different picture — businesses closed, streets deserted, and a city that should be overflowing with visitors left abandoned.
This Christmas, the traditional message of peace and love takes a backseat to an overarching sentiment of “sadness, grief, and anger.” As all nations celebrate Christmas this year, the absence of celebrations — let alone being targeted on that day specifically — in the Land of Jesus rings louder than any bells jingled across the world.
“What is happening at the Maghazi camp is a massacre that is being committed on a crowded residential square,” Dr. al-Qudra said, according to Al Jazeera English, adding that central Gaza is most likely to witness further escalation in casualties.
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