Nazareth: Christmas tree lighting in Jesus' hometown canceled by police

Rev Don Binder, writes from St George's Anglican Cathedral in Jerusalem.

Over the past two weeks, we've seen many images and videos posted of joyous Christmas tree lighting ceremonies in numerous towns throughout Palestine's West Bank, including Bethlehem, Bet Sahur (Shepherd's fields), and Ramallah.

However, when it came time last night for the Christmas tree lighting in the city with Israel's largest Christian population-Jesus' hometown of Nazareth-police imposed such sudden and draconian limits on the event, that they essentially forced its cancelation.
Specifically, police would have limited the number of attendees to 1,000-a tiny fraction of the turnout in the years before the Gaza War-and ordered local businesses to close during the event.

Imagine the uproar if the annual Kohanim blessings at the Kotel (Western Wall) were similarly restricted in number!

Rather than give into these unreasonable demands, the local Orthodox Council decided to cancel the ceremony and light the tree-the Holy Land's largest-unannounced at a small press conference held last Friday night in protest over the heavy-handed restrictions.

The head of the community council, attorney Bassem Asfour, stated: "We were surprised by the extent of the police restrictions, which are beyond all logic. We refuse to discriminate between people, because we want the Nazareth Christmas tree, with its colors and light, to represent all the residents of Nazareth, with its diverse social and human fabric. It is our responsibility as a community council to preserve this message, our dignity, the dignity of the people, and their right to joy and participation."

The Council went on to say that the Christmas tree would remain lit for the next five weeks for all to see and enjoy.

These latest restrictions represent a troubling trend over the past three years under the current extremist regime: during this time, police have put similar limitations on Christian worship celebrations on Palm Sunday and Easter in Jerusalem, and on the Feast of the Transfiguration on Mt Tabor in Galilee.

Several times they have even closed the entrance to Bethlehem on Christmas eve!

Ironically, along with other Christian leaders, I stood in front of the lit Christmas tree four years ago yesterday with President Herzog and his wife when he first was entering his new office. At that time we were all hopeful for better relations because of his gesture of goodwill.

Things quickly went downhill in late 2022, when the current, radical government took over.

As you might imagine, Christians throughout the Holy Land are worried about being more and more squeezed out, with their freedom of worship, freedom of movement, and property rights increasingly coming under fire.

Please continue to pray and advocate for the Christian presence in the Holy Land, which is more beleaguered now than ever in recent history, especially during these sacred seasons of Advent and Christmas, when our eyes more and more turn towards Bethlehem in remembrance of that Holy Night more than two millennia ago.