By Albert Thyrniang
In his birth place, at Christmas 2023, Jesus was ‘born’ among the rubble. In Bethlehem, ‘Israeli-occupied’ West Bank, Palestine, about 10 km south of Jerusalem, in a Lutheran church, instead of the usual decorated crib, the nativity scene was of the baby Jesus lying in the rubble. The poignant representation was not the only one. About 3,530 miles away in the UK a ‘Rubble’ crib was created at the Abbey Church of St Mary the Virgin to draw attention to the suffering of children in Gaza and Israel during this war time. In fact the ‘broken brick and stone’ manger that replaced the traditional crib in the Tewkesbury Abbey was on display since early December.
In solidarity with the Palestinians in ravaged Gaza, leaders of all denominations, in unison, decided to cancel all public Christmas celebrations all over Palestine, notably in Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus and Nazareth, his hometown. The historically and religiously significant locations, a cradle of Christianity, the annually exuberant and beaming tourists’ favourites bore a deserted look as a pall of sadness descended on the under-siege Gaza and the West Bank where severer restrictions since October 7 have been imposed.
Christmas trees, lights, Christmas markets, parties and religious parades went missing. Sales of Christmas related materials dropped dramatically due to the lack of tourists. Christians had to be content with attending quiet services while limiting themselves to a single meal on one of the grandest annual celebrations. This near-absent celebration has never occurred in the 80 year old conflict that began in the 1940s. Even the second Palestinian intifada (uprising from 2000 to 2005) had less impact.
Ever since the October 7 unimaginable massacre reports say more than 20,000 have been killed in Israel’s relentless retaliation in Gaza that include bombardments and ground offensive. Of them are 9000 or more innocent children. The atmosphere of death and mourning does not seem like it will end any time soon as the Israeli right wing government is determined to wipe off the Hamas and avenge the terrorists’ murder of 1,400 people, some three months ago.
The ugly war touched the minority Gaza Christian community hard as on December 16 a mother and daughter were shot and killed by Israeli soldiers in the Holy Family Church premises, Gaza’s only Roman Catholic church. On October 19, at least 16 Christian Palestinians were bombed at the third oldest church in Gaza where 400-500 Christians and Muslims were taking shelter. Christian religious leaders, including the Pope, condemned the incident terming it a terrorist act.
The current Palestinian-Israeli conflict has been holding the world’s attention because the media decides to do so. 20,000 deaths, including 8000-plus children, are not a small number. However, in Syria 207,000 civilians have been killed till March 2023, including 25,000 children. The war in Sudan has killed up to 9,000 people in six months creating one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. Media coverage is minimal. In the Middle East the following few examples are cited. In Iraq from 2013 to 2017 more than 165,000 were killed; in the Yemen Civil War from 2015 up to 377,000 and in the Syrian Civil War from 2013 anywhere between 500,000–600,000 civilians have perished. The media focus is not as vigorous as the turmoil involving Israel and Palestine.
The pro-Palestinian supporters and sympathisers who hatefully raised genocidal chants against Israel have no tears to shed for children and civilians who died in Muslim countries. As for the media, their limited perspective is that the ‘Zionist’ Jews who migrated to Israel prior to 1948 were largely Europeans. This is the grudge the Palestinians have. Why should the Jews, who have been away for two million years just ‘returned’, and justified by the Bible forcefully took possession of the land, cities, towns, villages and homes of the ‘owners’. The present right wing government led by Benjamin Netanyahu is accused of perpetuating the ‘Zionist’ ideology of occupation and ‘apartheid’.
Another party that is responsible for the never ending conflict are the Arab leaders. In 1948 and earlier, more than the Palestinians, it was the Arab leaders who rejected the creation of the state of Israel. Unwilling to accept the advent of a Jewish nation, the six neighbouring Arab countries waged wars, including in 1948 against the new-born state. As a result the victorious Israel annexed territories occupied by Jordan, Syria and Egypt. While the Sinai Peninsula was returned to Egypt, the West Bank and the Golan Heights are still under Israeli control. The Gaza Strip, today’s war’s epicentre was handed over to the Palestinian authority in 2005 after a complete military and civilian pull out. Repeated peace efforts of ‘two-state solution’ (Israel and Palestine) were rejected by Palestinian groups of which Hamas is one among them, backed by some Arab and Muslim countries.
Arab leaders accuse Israel of apartheid while Israel says only that \check point exists to prevent terrorist attacks. All citizens, including non-Jew Israelis have equal rights in Israel. Palestinians accuse Israel of ethnic cleansing, reminding the world especially of the expulsion of 700,000 Palestinian Arabs from Israel. Israel denies this and says that in a war terrible things happen. Jews instead point to the ethnic cleansing of the 900,000 Jews who fled or were expelled from Muslim-majority countries in Africa and Asia from 1948 to the early 1970s. Their former homes were in the Arab world like Iran, Turkey, Iraq, Yemen, Libya and Lebanon. While Zionism is fuelled by economic factors, the Israeli government’s policy of “One Million Plan” return of Jews were factors that evoked anti-Semitism, persecution and pogroms. Anti-Israel groups and individuals are relentless in pointing fingers at the occupation. Israel counters by reminding everyone of history. Palestine was always under occupation. The West Bank and East Jerusalem were annexed by Jordan in 1950 until the Six-Day War in 1967. Similarly the Golan Heights were seized by Israel in the same year from Syria’s occupation. For a long time Gaza was under Egypt. Palestinians and their sympathisers made no issue of these occupations because the occupiers are Arab and Muslim countries. The bitterness is only against Israel for religious and scriptural reasons not for historical facts. Palestine had no historical owners. Palestinians are a diverse group, an artificially coined term. Palestine never existed as a nation. So the question of occupation does not arise as the counter to the occupation charge. Of course, Israel is not innocent. Under international law the West Bank is illegally occupied. In certain parts of the territory west of the river Jordan, settlements by Jews are illegal even under Israeli law. In the illegal occupied areas even universities have come up. Palestinians feel strongly against this illegal occupation. They are often harassed and discriminated against. Thus we see children confronting Israeli soldiers. Radical elements spring up and are determined to resist the ‘enemy’ and ‘liberate’ Palestine from Israel’s clutches.
Much of the claims and counter claims are political rhetoric from both sides. Both, particularly radical groups, cling on to their own perspective of history and religious fundamentalism. A pragmatic middle ground is not considered for a lasting solution. The resulting consequence is that the innocent Palestinians have to suffer. The miniscule Christian population in Gaza and Palestine territories are caught in the war. Their churches are bombarded. They are part of those killed, displaced, hungry and deprived of basic necessities. They had no Christmas. Their fellow Palestinians have had to forgo the pomp and gaiety of the birth of their ‘Saviour’. They, understandably, had little to celebrate. What is worse is that Israel, through ICJP Public Affairs and Communications Office, dared to deny the very existence of Christians in Gaza so that brutality in the war zone is justified.
In India, Prime Minister, Namenda Modi celebrated Christmas at his residence along with prelates and church leaders. He listened to a Christmas carol, interacted with children and selected guests. He praised Christ and admired Christians. However, in Bhopal and elsewhere Hindutva groups protested against Christmas celebrations in schools. He talked of Christ being a model of ‘an inclusive society and justice for all’, but the saffron brigade warned children against participating in schools’ Christmas events. While he recalled his ‘long and warm’ friendship with Christians dating back to his Gujarat days, his admirers spread hatred against the community at Christmas. While the PM saw Christ’s values of unity, radicals binge division. While he stated that Christ is a guiding light for the development journey of our country, goons challenged parents who gave their consent for their children to have a view of the ‘guiding light’ being born in a manger. While he proudly acknowledged the contribution of Christians to the country, hardliners who are devoted to the PM harass Christians endlessly. The PM won’t condemn the anti-Christians and anti-minority outfits. The Delhi Christmas celebration is a publicity to garner votes in 2024.
In the Middle East and India (and certainly elsewhere) Christmas is a victim of politics.