BETHLEHEM – While the war between Israel and Hamas is focused in Gaza, its impact is expanding and is now affecting the birthplace of Jesus at a key time of year.
Christmas won’t be celebrated as usual in Bethlehem. The city’s municipality announced the traditional Christmas decorations in Manger Squiare will not be put up in an effort to show solidarity with those suffering in Gaza.
“The underlying sentiment is this,” explained Bethlehem Pastor Stephen Khoury. “They are trying to set a point in the community that even though Bethlehem, the Christians in Bethlehem, are not involved in the battle in Gaza, what they what they feel is that as Bethlehem sites, they don’t want to come across as insensitive to the suffering of the Gaza civilians.”
Khoury is the founder of Holy Land Missions in Bethlehem. He doesn’t agree with the decision.
“I don’t think Christmas should be canceled,” he stated. “They say they’re not canceling Christmas and canceling the festivity of it, the lights, the decorations and so forth. But really, that’s the joyful part of Christmas from from the outwardly it’s sort of day to day thing.”
Khoury added, “So if they want to not do the light
The remainder of this article is available in its entirety at CBN