[A Church in the occupied West Bank has already changed this year’s nativity scene, laying baby Jesus draped in Keffiyeh in the rubble.]
Dubai: The Christians living in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and other parts of the United Arab Emirates have decided to cancel Christmas festivities in a show of solidarity with the Palestinians massacred by the Israeli Occupation Forces.
The Christians in the UAE will have a muted celebration meaning traditional decoration and lighting on the occasion will nowhere be seen this Christmas and will keep themselves away from all types of festivities.
The Churches will be full but the focus there will be more on prayers and pondering the true meaning and spirituality of Christmas.
“There’s no denying that this year has been harder than usual on many people – especially the Palestinians in Gaza", some Christians living in Dubai told Khaleej Times.
“In lieu of the usual festive celebrations, we decided to mainly focus on contemplation and prayers to convey our message of solidarity with the victims of this atrocious war,” they added.
The Bethlehem Municipal Body has also cancelled Christmas celebrations this year saying the atmosphere today is of sadness and pain. The decision is endorsed by Christian bishops and community leaders.
Christmas is celebrated every year on December 25 to commemorate the birth of Prophet Isa or Jesus. Bethlehem in the Occupied Jerusalem is believed to be the birth place of Jesus.
A church in the occupied West Bank has already changed this year’s nativity scene, laying baby Jesus draped in Keffiyeh in the rubble, to show solidarity with the people of Gaza. The Keffiyeh is the symbol of the Palestinian resistance.
The Bethlehem civic body cancelled the Christmas celebrations to mourn those killed by the Israeli Occupation Forces in Gaza Strip, West Bank and other occupied Palestinian territories. As on today, more than 20,000 civilians - over 14,000 of them children, have been killed and another 53,200 have been injured the brutal military offensive since Oct 7, 2023.
The scene of baby Jesus not in swaddling clothes but wrapped in Palestinian keffiyeh and born not in the manger – as traditionally depicted in the Nativity scene – but on a pile of rubble, is a stark symbol of destruction in Gaza for Filipino expat Michelle Oribello.
"I have not seen so many pictures on social media of young children being pulled out the rubble, lifeless", she said.
The pain is more evident among Palestinians, bordering on despair. A Palestinian expat living in Dubai said, “There are no Christmas tree or decorations or celebrations this year. I will be with my mom, brothers and sister-in-law at home, praying for the rest of our family in Gaza who are seeking shelter in Latin and Orthodox churches.”
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