Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus Christ, made the decision to hold a more subdued Christmas celebration this year in solidarity with the victims in Gaza. The city council announced that it would not be hosting its usual Christmas festivities and even removed regularly displayed decorations as a way to honor the “martyrs” of the ongoing violence. A spokesperson for the Bethlehem city council explained that celebrating Christmas while a massacre was happening in Gaza and attacks were occurring in the West Bank was not appropriate.

The decision by Bethlehem to scale back its Christmas celebrations came after Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a Democrat from New York, posted on social media, drawing a parallel between Jesus and the Palestinian people while criticizing Israel. In her Instagram story on Christmas Eve, Ocasio-Cortez shared a photo of a child amidst the rubble in the Gaza Strip and expressed her prayers for the peace and protection of the innocent in Gaza and the occupied territories. She referenced Mary and Joseph, who were displaced by violence and became refugees in Egypt with a newborn waiting to one day return home, stating that holy children are still being born in a place of unspeakable violence.

Ocasio-Cortez described the high Christian holiday as a time to honor the sanctity of a family that, if the story unfolded today, would be Jewish Palestinians. Her message, however, received backlash from critics who accused her of blatant "Jew hate." They pointed out that she failed to mention the Israelis who are still being held captive by Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip and the women who were raped during the terrorists' brutal attack.

One critic described Ocasio-Cortez's description of Israel as a "violent, right-wing occupying force" in her Christmas post, emphasizing her alleged "Jew hate." Another user disputed her claim that there were Jewish Palestinians, stating that they were Jews of Judea at that time. Pro-Israel activist Andrea Karshan expressed her frustration, wishing that people would simply enjoy Christmas without getting too politically involved. She described the conversation as “nonsense” and urged others to focus on the joy of the holiday.

Ocasio-Cortez's message coincided with Pope Francis' Christmas Day appeal for peace between Israel and the Palestinians. The Pope condemned the violence and called for the release of hostages, while also urging an end to Israel's military campaign in Gaza and the protection of innocent civilians. He emphasized the need for humanitarian aid to reach those in need.

Overall, the combination of Bethlehem's decision to scale back its Christmas celebrations in solidarity with Gaza, Ocasio-Cortez's controversial social media post, and Pope Francis' plea for peace in the region has sparked a heated debate surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the role of religion in the ongoing violence.