• Investing
  • Stock
Round Table Thoughts
  • Economy
  • Editor’s Pick
Home Economy Evangelical Christian leader says Hamas stole Christmas in Bethlehem: Cut off the ‘lights’
Economy

Evangelical Christian leader says Hamas stole Christmas in Bethlehem: Cut off the ‘lights’

by December 27, 2023
by December 27, 2023 0 comment
Share
0
FacebookTwitterPinterestWhatsapp

JERUSALEM — A leading evangelical Christian leader, the Rev. Johnnie Moore, accused Hamas of pulling the plug on Christmas lights and festivities in Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus Christ. This comes as the number of Christians in the city continues to dwindle.

‘It is Hamas, not Israel, which cut off the Christmas lights in Bethlehem. Hamas tried to sabotage Christmas in the Holy Land for the world’s 2 billion Christians. Jesus is the prince of peace. Hamas hates peace,’ Moore, who is the president of the Congress of Christian Leaders, told Fox News Digital.

The U.S. government and the European Union have classified Hamas as a foreign terrorist organization.

Moore added, ‘Instead of taking a page from Hamas by further politicizing religion, the Palestinian leadership in Ramallah and in Bethlehem should have defied Hamas’ hate by having the biggest celebration they could imagine to spread the message of the Prince of Peace, Jesus … from Bethlehem.’

He continued, ‘But, that’s fine. One only has to drive a mile to Jerusalem where Christmas is alive and well. Jerusalem is alive with holiday celebrations because Israel is, even now, fiercely protecting its sanctity during this time of terror and war. Or, if you want a dose of hope that peace is not only possible but will come, then drive up north to beautiful Haifa. It is a city where Jews, Christians and Muslims live in peace with one another and not only side-by-side but by sharing their lives, joys and sorrows together.’

Palestinian Christian leaders said during the war that celebrations would not unfold in the West Bank, where Bethlehem is located. Many Israelis refer to the West Bank by its biblical name Judea and Samaria.

While the number of Christians in Middle East countries has plummeted, Israel continues to experience growth of its minority Christian population. 

According to newly released data from Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics, roughly 187,900 Christians live in Israel, which is a 1.3% rate of growth when contrasted with last year’s statistics. Israel’s current population is approximately 9.795 million people and is expected to soar past 10 million in 2024.

Yet for Bethlehem, things aren’t as rosy. In 2016, the National Catholic Reporter wrote that Bethlehem and its surrounding villages had a Christian population of 86% in 1950. In 2016, the paper reported, the number of Christians sunk to a mere 12%. According to the National Catholic Reporter, there were just 11,000 Christians in Bethlehem.

In 2023, an estimated 10,000 Christians lived in Jesus’ birthplace among a total Bethlehem population of roughly 75,500 residents.

IRAN PROXIES ENGAGED IN ‘INVISIBLE JIHAD’ AGAINST CHRISTIANS IN MIDDLE EAST, REPORT WARNS 

The Rev. Petra Heldt, a leading Christian scholar who has lived in Israel for 40 years, told Fox News Digital that she pins the blame on the Palestinian Authority (PA), which rules over Bethlehem, for the lack of Christmas festivities.

‘The PA ordered the demolition of Christmas decorations in Bethlehem. This came in the wake of the statements of the heads of churches in Jordan (Greek Orthodox, Anglican and Catholic; they have churches in Gaza) on Dec. 1. The statement is written in the spirit of Hamas, if not dictated by Hamas. The heads of churches are hostages of Hamas,’ Heldt said.

She added, ‘In Jerusalem, the Orthodox and the Catholics do not take their statements too seriously. For instance, yesterday the Catholic Church and the International Christian Embassy joined forces in a joyful open Christmas sing-along in Mamilla Mall. There is a huge Christmas tree in front of the YMCA in King David Street.’

The rapid decline of the Christian population in Bethlehem under the rule of the Muslim-majority Palestinian Authority has been the subject of some news reporting over the last decade. 

‘There are no reliable figures for the numbers of Christians in Bethlehem,’ Heldt said. ‘The numbers are extremely low in comparison to 1993, before [the Oslo Accords established a peace framework between Israel and the Palestinian leadership]. Conservative estimates speak of 5% of Christians in Bethlehem as [contrasted] to some 90-plus percent before 1993. The hardship for Christians in Bethlehem is beyond words. Fear, threats and intimidation is the norm, not because of Israel, because of the PA.’ 

Yet, some dissenting voices suggested Israel’s response via its declaration of war on Hamas in self-defense to the jihadi movement’s Hamas’ massacre of 1,200 people, including more than 30 Americans, on Oct. 7 is why Christian leaders canceled Christmas in Bethlehem.

The Rev. Dr. Jack Sara, the general secretary of the Middle East and North Africa Evangelical Alliance, told Fox News Digital, ‘Sadly, this is not the first time that Palestinian Christians have decided to cancel all the festivities in Bethlehem. It was done before, during the first intifada and second intifada, and now.’

Intifada is an Arabic word that means ‘shaking off’ and has been frequently interpreted as ‘uprising’ to describe violent Palestinian protests against Israel in the disputed West Bank territory in 1987. A second intifada erupted in 2000 with Palestinian suicide bombing attacks against Jews in Israel.

Sara said about the cancelation of Christmas festivities in Bethlehem: ‘The reasons are obvious. How can Christians celebrate when their own people are going through such tragedy? It’s tragedy after tragedy. We lament the killing of all civilians, including those who fell on the 7th of October. But what followed that is also very tragic and makes us lament more innocent lives, over 20,000 now, over 1.5 million refugees; and, in addition, even our Christian community in Gaza is struggling to survive because of the war on Gaza.’ The 20,000 deaths are numbers provided by the Hamas-run ministry of health.

Israel’s government and many Mideast experts reject the number of 1.5 million Palestinian refugees because of an allegedly biased and antiquated U.N. definition of what constitutes a Palestinian refugee.

In contrast to other standard definitions of a refugee that refer to a person (and not his or her descendants) who has fled a conflict zone, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) says that descendants of a Palestinian refugee who were displaced during Israel’s War of Independence in 1947-1949 warrants refugee status.

FAITH GROUP TO MARCH ON WASHINGTON TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION 

When asked about the demise of Christian life in Bethlehem, Sara, who runs a Bible college in Bethlehem, said, ‘True, but the numbers were higher before 1948 and before 1967. I don’t believe it’s related to the Oslo agreements, the Christians’ numbers dwindled always, even in what we call ‘better time,’ meaning no escalation of the conflict.’

He added, ‘Christians have had families immigrate or leave the country since 1948, so they have relatives all over the world and that connection makes it easier for them to immigrate. Christians in general, like anyone else, fear for their children’s future living in a conflict zone, under occupation, so they opt to find a safer place with no fear of uninvited violence.’

Fox News Digital sent numerous press queries to the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Bethlehem municipality for comment.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
You Might Also Like
  • Pressure builds on Mexican government following military’s seizure of US company’s property: ‘Unacceptable’
  • Biden defiantly charges ahead with election run despite speculation he would drop out this weekend
  • China’s Stock Support Boosts Asian Markets
  • Kansas Gov. Kelly vetoes second bill to regulate abortion
Share
0
FacebookTwitterPinterestWhatsapp

previous post
More from Mish’s Outlook 2024 — 17 Predictions
next post
Genocide, famine in Sudan as Biden admin accused of being ‘idle’

You may also like

Sullivan won’t say whether US will back Ukraine in retaking...

February 27, 2023

Trudeau expands probe into claims Canadian lawmakers conspired with China,...

June 11, 2024

Hunter Biden’s ‘sugar brother’ lawyer spotted smoking bong on home...

July 24, 2023

Virginia Gov. Youngkin rings death knell on CCP buying American...

February 27, 2023

How long is too long? Congressional health scares raise questions...

August 8, 2023

Blinken says Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro lost election before claiming victory...

August 2, 2024

Internal emails show Biden admin officials coordinating on shielding Pete...

September 12, 2023

Texas sends migrants to Naval Observatory near VP Harris’ home,...

May 15, 2023

GOP rep files impeachment articles using Dem precedent set during...

May 11, 2024

Pence comes out swinging in support of Clarence Thomas

May 7, 2023

    Stay updated with the latest news, exclusive offers, and special promotions. Sign up now and be the first to know! As a member, you'll receive curated content, insider tips, and invitations to exclusive events. Don't miss out on being part of something special.


    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Recent Posts

    • Krispy Kreme stock plunges after doughnut chain pauses McDonald’s rollout, pulls outlook

      May 8, 2025
    • Don’t Buy Robinhood Stock… Until You See This Chart Setup

      May 8, 2025
    • UnitedHealthcare sued by shareholders over reaction to CEO’s killing

      May 8, 2025
    • The Unpredictable Stock Market: How to Make Sense of It

      May 8, 2025
    • AMD CEO calls China a ‘large opportunity’ and warns against strict U.S. chip controls

      May 7, 2025

    Popular Posts

    • 1

      Trump-era China sanctions ended by Biden may be...

      June 27, 2024 2,633 views
    • 2

      Walz’s honeymoon with China gets fresh scrutiny as...

      August 9, 2024 2,339 views
    • 3

      Biden appointee played key role in recruiting Chinese...

      June 25, 2024 2,321 views
    • 4

      Shein’s global ambitions leaves some cybersecurity experts fearful...

      July 10, 2024 2,303 views
    • 5

      Harris VP pick spent years promoting research facility...

      August 29, 2024 2,186 views

    Categories

    • Economy (7,009)
    • Editor's Pick (2,066)
    • Investing (538)
    • Stock (2,530)

    Popular Posts

    • 1

      Trump-era China sanctions ended by Biden may be revived under new House GOP bill

      June 27, 2024
    • 2

      Walz’s honeymoon with China gets fresh scrutiny as Harris camp blasts ‘lying’ critics

      August 9, 2024
    • 3

      Biden appointee played key role in recruiting Chinese businesses to Delaware: ‘Longtime friends’

      June 25, 2024
    • 4

      Shein’s global ambitions leaves some cybersecurity experts fearful of Chinese spy threats

      July 10, 2024
    • 5

      Harris VP pick spent years promoting research facility that collaborated with ‘Chinese military company’

      August 29, 2024

    Latest News

    • Krispy Kreme stock plunges after doughnut chain pauses McDonald’s rollout,...

      May 8, 2025
    • Don’t Buy Robinhood Stock… Until You See This Chart Setup

      May 8, 2025
    • UnitedHealthcare sued by shareholders over reaction to CEO’s killing

      May 8, 2025

    Categories

    • Economy (7,009)
    • Editor's Pick (2,066)
    • Investing (538)
    • Stock (2,530)

    Disclaimer: RoundTableThoughts.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2024 RoundTableThoughts.com. All Rights Reserved.

    Round Table Thoughts
    • Investing
    • Stock
    Round Table Thoughts
    • Economy
    • Editor’s Pick

    Read alsox

    Harris maintains lead nationwide, slim margins...

    August 29, 2024

    Trump teases DeSantis over Fox interview...

    January 21, 2024

    JK Rowling and I could be...

    April 3, 2024
    Sign In

    Keep me signed in until I sign out

    Forgot your password?

    Password Recovery

    A new password will be emailed to you.

    Have received a new password? Login here