The plight of Christians in Bethlehem and Jerusalem predates the latest Gaza war
Their number is continuing to dwindle
This year’s nativity scene in Bethlehem depicts a baby swaddled in a Palestinian kefiyeh (a chequered headdress) resting on a heap of rubble. It is hard to spot the wise men, frankincense, or myrrh. The war in Gaza has prompted a drastic scaling back of celebrations in the West Bank. No banquets, no traditional parades of Boy Scouts, no pilgrims. Bethlehem is silent. Christmas in the land where Jesus Christ was born has, in effect, been cancelled.
This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “Cancelled”
Middle East & Africa December 23rd 2023
- Attacks on shipping threaten to upend peace talks in Yemen
- Israel isn’t sure what to do about the hostages in Gaza
- The plight of Christians in Bethlehem and Jerusalem predates the latest Gaza war
- A supposed haven in Sudan falls to a genocidal militia
- For Congo’s next president, winning may be the easy part
From the December 23rd 2023 edition
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