Monday, December 25, 2023

Gaza War 2023: This is what the real humans of Palestine say /are saying/said “Bethlehem’s silent Christmas edition”

“If Jesus - Peace be upon him - were to be born today, he would be born under the rubble. In Gaza!”

Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bethlehem.

22 December 2023

Sunday was Christmas Eve, but the usual festive spirit was noticeably absent at Christ’s birthplace in Bethlehem, located in the occupied West Bank.

Thousands of Christian Palestinians, residing in the land where Jesus Christ was born, chose not to celebrate Christmas as they have for countless centuries.

The Nativity Scene of 2023 at the Lutheran Church of Bethlehem
The Nativity Scene of 2023 at the Lutheran Church of Bethlehem 

The question arises: how can they celebrate when their fellow Palestinians are victims of the most severe genocide since the Nakba of 1948?

According to assessments by the Washington Post, based on interviews with Western experts, UN officials, and satellite imagery, Israel has waged one of the deadliest wars of this century in Gaza, lasting 80 days.

In this post, I will share the sentiments and actions of Christian Palestinians in Bethlehem during Christmas. 

This year, the usual festive mood was replaced by a sombre atmosphere.

The traditional Christmas tree and lively traditional Christmas Eve Procession by the renowned Palestinian scouts of the Patriarch of Jerusalem were absent.

Instead, the procession of the Catholic Patriarch of Jerusalem scouts to Bethlehem turned into a silent protesting march in gloomy rainy weather as the heavens wept.

"We want life, not death" say the children of Palestine "AFP"

The young Palestinian Christian boys and girls held a silent protest, carrying banners in support of Gaza and calling for a ceasefire.

Needless to say, many believe that this silent protest won’t achieve anything because the world or rather the world powers do not give a damn. You can not blame the people for being frustrated.

Palestinian Catholics march in support of Gaza on Christmas Eve
"Blessed Are you when they revile you and persecute you, for you reward
is great in heaven"- Matthew 5:11 

Personally, I think this silent march is important. The Palestinian voice must be heard in a very possible way.

Manger Square, usually adorned with a large Christmas tree, was instead filled with poignant protest art that even Banksy might admire.

On December 24, 2023, an evocative artwork titled “Nativity under the Rubble” was installed in Manger Square, in front of the Church of Nativity in the occupied West Bank city. 

"Nativity under the Rubble" by Tariq Salsa Photo by Elias Halabi
"Nativity under the Rubble" by Tariq Salsa 
Photo by Elias Halabi

This modern, realistic interpretation of the famous nativity scene was created by Palestinian artist Tariq Salsa.

Salsa explains, “This piece portrays the suffering of the Holy Family, the first Palestinian refugee family. They too experienced oppression, rejection, and displacement, and endured the first historical ‘Nakba’ when they fled to Egypt after the birth of Jesus Christ.”

The Holy Family, Gaza edition by Tariq Salsa at Manger Square in Bethlehem "AFP"
The Holy Family, Gaza edition by Tariq Salsa at Manger Square
in Bethlehem "AFP"

In his work, Salsa resonates with many Palestinians who revere the Holy Family, irrespective of their religious affiliation. Late Palestinian iconic Cartoonist Naji Al-Ali, originally a Muslim, utilized the story of Jesus, including the crucifixion - a narrative that differs in Islam - to symbolize the suffering of Palestinians in the 20th century. Naji Al-Ali’s Palestinian Jesus was iconic just like Handala. 

In this rendition, the Virgin Mary is depicted embracing Baby Jesus, mirroring the way mothers of modern Palestinian martyrs do, while Joseph consoles her amidst their shared grief and sorrow. 

Nativity under the Rubble
The Virgin Mary carries her baby like the babies of Gaza killed by Israel
while the flying angel represents the spirits of Gaza babies and the Magi 
carries a shroud 

The angels aka white doves surrounding the rubble represent the souls of Palestinian children, martyrs of repeated massacres throughout history, from the killing of Bethlehem’s children by Herod at Jesus Christ’s birth to the recent killings of Gaza’s children. The Magi in this scene carry not gifts, but white shroud cloth for the baby. 

Nativity scene by Tariq Salsa
The Magi did not bring gifts, he brought shroud cloth for the baby 
in that Nativity scene by Tariq Salsa

The shepherd, symbolizing the ongoing Palestinian displacement since 1948, is forced to leave the cave, carrying a cloth bundle, or “bugja,” to carry his belongings in his hand.

The Gaza Nativity Scene" by Tariq Salsa
The shepherd and his buga as he is once again on the run 
"The Gaza Nativity Scene" by Tariq Salsa 

The Nativity Grotto is represented as a destroyed house, its roof symbolizing the geographical map of bombed Gaza. The explosion on the roof forms the shape of the Star of Bethlehem.

Salsa’s Nativity Scene of Gaza is not the only work of art speaking about the war at the square.

There is also an incubator with a wooden baby Jesus inside. This artwork is designed by Palestinian artist Rana Bishara. 

Baby Jesus in an incubator outside the Nativity Church in Bethlehem this Christmas by AFP
Baby Jesus in an incubator outside the Nativity Church in Bethlehem 
this Christmas by AFP

The baby Jesus in the incubator is a direct reference to the tragedies of the premature babies from Al-Shifa Hospital as well as the babies of the Nasr Hospital.

It is one of the most powerful pieces of modern art I have seen.

Rana Bishara and her baby Jesus incubator outside the nativity church 
in Bethlehem, Palestine "AP"

Here is Bishara talking about it.

Earlier, the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem replaced its traditional nativity scene with a unique piece of art. This new depiction shows Baby Jesus wrapped in a keffiyeh and placed amidst rubble, symbolizing solidarity with the people of Gaza.

The decision to cancel Bethlehem’s Christmas celebrations was made by Palestinian Churchmen from Western Churches and its mayor in solidarity with Gaza in November.

Bethlehem Mayor Hanna Hananiyah believes that the events of 2023 in Gaza echo the trials faced by Baby Jesus.

“We say this with heavy, exhausted and painted hearts from the horror of what is happening, not only in Gaza but in all our Palestinian cities and villages. What is happening today is similar to what happened at the birth of the Prince of Peace, the Child of Cave when Herod killed all the Children out of fear for his throne.” He said on Saturday.

“The occupation government today is afraid for its throne killing and deporting people, just as Herod did, but a little child was born in the cave of Bethlehem who gave life to the world and our hope is in the child Jesus that he will give us the peace that we want today,” He said.

This year, the Christmas story resonates with the current situation in Gaza. Over 50,000 pregnant women have been displaced, fleeing with their babies due to the actions of a brutal army commanded by a corrupt strongman who believes and acts as the King of Israel who fears for his own future.

From December 24 to 25, the Israeli Army reportedly killed over 150 children. It’s believed that even Herod’s soldiers did not kill that many male infants in Palestine in a single day or overnight.

The similarity between the past and the present can not be denied.

"The Christmas story actually is a Palestinian story,” Rev. Mitri Raheb; the Pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem, told US-based Democracy TV on Friday.

“Where were you when Gaza was going through a genocide?” Reverend Munther Isaac, the Pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bethlehem said in his sermon on Friday that went viral for all the right reasons on social media.

“To our European friends: I never ever want to hear you lecture us on Human Rights or International Law again. We are not white - it does not apply to us according to your own logic” He added echoing millions of Arabs from the Gulf to the Ocean.

Many American Evangelicals who support Israel unconditionally should heed the messages of Isaac and Raheb. They should listen to Munther Isaac’s interpretation of the true meaning of Christmas.

Catholics, including US President Joe Biden, who is arguably more disliked than Trump in the Arab World, should also pay attention to the words of Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem.

Biden should also listen to Pope Francis himself.

Prominent Palestinian veteran politician Hanan Ashrawai who is a Christian shared a letter from Issa “Jesus” in Gaza to Santa.

I do not understand why Hanan Ashrawai is not playing any role in the Palestinian political scene in the West Bank currently except that there she is a respectable woman.

By the way, Gaza did celebrate Christmas and here is a video for the Christmas celebration of 2022 with a cheerful Christmas tree filmed by Motaz Azaiza at one of Gaza's churches.

Unlike what the Israeli officials claim and tell the Western media, there are still Palestinian Christians in Gaza. They have been subjected to murder and destruction like their Muslim counterpart.

Gaza has three active churches: Gaza Baptist Church, Church of Saint Porphyrius and Holy Family Church. Gaza Baptist Church follows the Baptist Church, Saint Porphyrius Church follows the Greek Orthodox Church and the Holy Family Church follows the Catholic Church. 

The Israeli occupation army shelled the three Churches giving no damn about the international outcry because there is no international outcry. 

On December 16, Nahida Khalil Anton and her daughter, Samar Kamal Anton, were killed by an Israeli sniper.

Late Nahed and Samar Anton 

They were among the 650 Palestinian Christians seeking refuge at the Holy Family Church Complex in North Gaza, which was already under siege by Israeli tanks.

The two women were walking from the church building to the bathrooms located in the Sisters of Mother Teresa Convent within the complex around noon.

The sniper first shot Mrs Nahida and then shot Samar as she attempted to save her mother. The two elderly bled till death. 

Seven other individuals were also shot and wounded while trying to protect and rescue others inside the church. The convent had already been hit by an Israeli tank earlier that morning.

Pope Francis criticized Israel for the attack on the complex, stating that the church building housed families, not terrorists. He said, ‘Some might call this terrorism or war. Indeed, it is both war and terrorism.”

Since the onset of the war on Gaza in October, the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza has served as a sanctuary for approximately 650 Christian Palestinians. This group primarily consists of Orthodox Christians, but also includes 135 Catholics, which constitutes nearly the entire Catholic population in Gaza, along with a handful of Protestants.

The Sisters of Mother Teresa convent is also home to over 54 disabled people. 

For weeks the Holy Family Church has been besieged by Israeli tanks with a huge shortage of food, water and medicine one of the injured in a previous incident passed away. 

Only following the murder of Mrs Nahid and her daughter, the world seems to know about the situation inside the church and a food and aid drop was organized by Jordanian  Air Forces on 25 December.

On 19 October, an Israeli airstrike bombed the ancient  Church of Saint Porphyrius killing at least 18 Palestinian people taking refuge in the third oldest church in the world. 

According to New Al-Araby, it is estimated that 2.5% of already declining Gaza’s Christian population, before the war, was killed during the 74-day Israeli war against the enclave. 

I think this is considered among the reasons why the city of Bethlehem and its churches had to cancel the celebrations. 

Contrary to some Western beliefs, there are Christian Palestinians who were forcibly displaced in 1948 and have been facing the same challenges facing the Muslim Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. 

Many of them had to leave Palestine, not because of Muslims or “Hamas”, but because of Israel. However, this is a fact that the West often refuses to acknowledge.

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