Due to the war in Gaza, Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem and Jerusalem have been cancelled (https://www.huffpost.com/entry/bethlehem-christmas-celebrations-canceled-israel-palestine_n_65880234e4b03e698a13af79/amp) and (https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2023/november/bethlehem-christmas-cancelled-israel-gaza-jordan-christians.html). I do not wish to get into the politics of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict or the War in Gaza, what I do wish to ask, is would Jews be required to cancel Hanukkah celebrations? I understand there are nuances to security, but Christmas is not just some holiday for us Christians. It is the celebration of the Incarnation of God, which is core to our faith! In the US they go on about The War on Christmas, but this is literally Christmas Cancelled because of A War. Bethlehem is 73 Kilometers (45 Miles) North East of Gaza. Bethlehem is only 6.2 Miles away from Jerusalem.
Why would anyone censor a Major Christian Holiday that promotes “Peace On Earth, Goodwill Toward Men and Women!,”?! It does not make sense to shut down a holiday that celebrates our Prince of Peace, in a time of war!!! I understand the issues in this war are complicated, but you do not strip people of their religious liberty to rejoice in their God! That only reaps animosity and is a form of persecution or repression at the very least. I would strongly urge the IDF and Israel’s leaders to consider what canceling Christmas in the city where the First Christmas happened will mean. Already the Jewish State had the ire of Radical Extremists, do they want Christians who have been the allies of Jews in the Middle Ages saving them from Rhineland Massacres and who saved Jews in Holocaust to become enemies?! I get have a security presence, have metal detectors like at The Jewish Wailing Wall, but to shut down Bethlehem and public festivities is sacrilege. Christians have a right to express their joy to the world in the city that Joy came into the world!!! I understand security and keepimg citizens safe, but Bethlehem is not close to Gaza! Bethlehem is 45 miles away, that would take 1 Hr 30mins by car to get to from Gaza! And as I said Jerusalem is only 6 miles from Bethlehem and so is as far away from Gaza and yet Xmas is cancelldd there too! The holiest places in Christendom you cannot celebrate Christ’s Birth!
Already shop owners in holy cities are lamenting:
“Israel’s Gaza war has shut down Bethlehem and Jerusalem. Churchmen, merchants, restaurant and hotel owners had hoped for a vibrant holiday season which stretches from early December until Orthodox Christmas on January 7th.
Last year, 120,000 pilgrims and tourists flocked to Bethlehem and East Jerusalem, hotels were fully booked, restaurants and cafes teemed with custom, and shops sold thousands of carved olive wood mementoes of the Holy Land.
Christmas may come once a year only, but seasonal business fuels the economies of Bethlehem and Jerusalem’s Old City for the entire year. Covid coveted the Christmases of 2020 and 2021. Palestinians were counting on a repeat of last year to sustain them until 2024.” (https://gulftoday.ae/opinion/2023/12/24/gaza-war-shuts-down-bethlehem-jerusalem)
I know people in Jerusalem who depend on revenue during holydays/ holidays. I worry Covid and now this Gaza war is an effort to purge the last 2% of Christians and their businesses in Israel. I cannot declare its an deliberate antichrist and antichristian plot, but the effect certainly will damage the Christian businesses, presence, and set s precedence that your rights to celebrate Christ during high holidays can be curbed by security and health directives, which if we are honest gives The State power over your faith at least publically, which is dangerous.
This is bad move optically for the Jewish State. It will effect businesses, and not just Christian ones, Christians shop at the Jewish and Muslim stores, and eat at their restaurants. All of these will suffer, all of them are interconnected by economics. Christians make up the majority of pilgrims to the holy land, between Covid and Cancel Christmas, Jerusalem & Bethlehem may not recover, which will damage Israel as a whole if pilgrims cannot celebrate their faith in public, the money will stop coming. This also will only fuel the protests against Israel, and perhaps make Christians in West beginning to align with Palestinians over their Stand With Israel and Jewish sympathies. The Church could turn if it sees that The Jewish State is crushing Christian rights, which it is. Sure security matters, but spirituality does too! Christians in Israel need Christmas to remember hope in a bleak period of war! To take that away from them is folly and ramifications may be worse than bad press, it could sink the tourist trade, a major stream of revenue, and exasperate the ire aimed at The State of Israel.
I ask the Kinesset and Jewish Authorities to consider what this will mean! That security and defense matters, but so does the rights and freedoms you are defending! I say find a way, if you have to make some changes for security, fine, but let people celebrate Christmas! Amen.
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