Christmas in Bethlehem:
A Call for Justice and Solidarity
As yet another Christmas approaches, many around the world are preparing to celebrate. But in Palestine, it’s another year of heartbreak and devastation. In Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus Christ, joy and festivity have been replaced by deep mourning and prayer. How can we truly celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace when His descendants—both Muslim and Christian—are being slaughtered, their homes destroyed, and their voices silenced?
For decades, Palestinian Christians have found it hard to celebrate Christmas amidst the grim realities of a brutal occupation and what many organisations now acknowledge as an apartheid regime. The beautiful lights of Christmas trees are overshadowed by the harsh glare of checkpoints, expanding settlements, and constant violence. This year, it feels impossible. So how can Western nations, who claim to follow His teachings, celebrate Christmas while ignoring the suffering of Palestinian Muslims and Christians in the Holy Land and the whole region?
The Memory of a Divided Bethlehem
I think back to one of my most cherished childhood memories: driving from Haifa to Bethlehem and passing through the timeless streets of Jerusalem. Even then, the heavy presence of occupation was impossible to ignore. It cast a shadow over what should have been a deeply joyful experience. Yet, despite the sorrow, there was always a sense of pride—a deep pride in our shared history and coexistence as Muslims and Christians, and, before 1948, as Jews. This unity was beautifully symbolised by the trust placed in Adeeb Joudeh, a Muslim Palestinian, to guard the keys of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre—a role his family has held for generations.
The Attack on Palestinian Identity
But today, that spirit of unity is under attack. The Palestinian Christian population is dwindling, caught between the violence of occupation and the world’s indifference. As descendants of the world’s first Christians, we’re watching our Palestinian heritage and identity being destroyed. We see all our Palestinian brothers and sisters being burned, starved, raped, and murdered. Holy sites are being bombed, families are torn apart, and our connection to the land of our ancestors is being erased.
This is not the message of Jesus Christ. He wasn’t a passive figure who quietly accepted the status quo. He was a revolutionary—a fierce advocate for the oppressed and a challenger of inequality and injustice. He stood for compassion and justice, never for the dehumanisation of others. He was not simply a man of prayer, but also a man of action. So how can Western nations, who claim to follow His teachings, celebrate Christmas while ignoring the suffering of Palestinian Muslims and Christians in the Holy Land?
The Western narrative of Christianity has lost its way, stripped of its core values of justice and love for all. It feels as though the essence of Christianity in the West has been hijacked. How else can we explain the silence of global leaders and their selective blindness to the continued atrocities unfolding in Palestine? How can they claim to uphold Judeo-Christian values while being complicit in the ethnic cleansing of the land where Jesus himself once walked?
Confronting the Contradictions of Christmas
As we approach Christmas, we need to confront these contradictions. Christ’s teachings call on us to stand with the oppressed, speak out against injustice, and demand equality for all—regardless of faith or nationality. He made it clear: the Kingdom of Heaven is for everyone; there is no promised land for one people, especially not at the expense of another, and we are all equal in the eyes of God. To celebrate Christmas without acknowledging this truth is to betray the very principles He lived and died for.
Many Palestinian Christians won’t decorate trees or sing carols this year. Instead, we will pray deeply, mourning the innocent lives lost and demanding justice from the River to the Sea. We will continue to take action and stand up to end this humanitarian catastrophe. Even if there’s a ceasefire tomorrow, we cannot return to the brutal reality of occupation and apartheid. We will continue to reiterate the demands of our ancestors, who dared to hope for a better world and remind the global Christian community of their moral responsibility to act.
A Christmas Call to Action: From the River to the Sea
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, it was a moment of hope for all humanity. But today, His birthplace has become a symbol of suffering and neglect. If Jesus were here today, He wouldn’t stay silent. He would stand with the oppressed, confront the powerful, and demand justice, compassion, and peace.
This Christmas, as you light your candles, let them mean something more. Let them be a sign of hope and a reminder of our shared duty to create a world where no child—of any faith or nationality—has to live in fear and despair. We collectively have to reclaim the true spirit of Christmas, a spirit rooted in justice, equality, and love for all. Only then can we truly honour the message of Jesus Christ and bring light to these dark times. Only then can a nation call itself Christian.
From the River to the Sea, may peace with immediate justice prevail for all.
For those seeking to deepen their understanding of the Palestinian struggle and the road to justice, I highly recommend Reem Borrows’ powerful book, From the River to the Sea: Humanizing Freedom. A compelling call for human rights, it explores the shared humanity that must unite us all in the fight for freedom. All profits from the book's sales will go to supporting newly arrived Palestinians, making it a meaningful addition to your collection and a great Christmas gift for friends and loved ones. You can purchase the book from any of these online channels or ask at your local bookshop as it can be ordered for you:
In an insightful article for ABC Religion, Reem Borrows explores the profound challenges facing Palestinians during Easter celebrations and reflects on the ongoing struggle for justice in Palestine. Her words offer a call for solidarity, urging us to take action not only at Christmas time, but throughout the year. Read the full article here.
Reem Borrows is an author, speaker, and consultant who advocates for Peace with Justice. She is the founder and director of Dreem Coaching and Consulting, and the author of From the River to the Sea: Humanizing Freedom.