Bethlehem Celebrates Christmas Under Occupation, Media Celebrates 'Peace'
While Al Jazeera's clip shows Orthodox Christians observing Christmas Eve in Bethlehem, it conveniently omits the dire reality: Bethlehem is in the occupied West Bank, increasingly suffocated by Israeli settlements and the separation wall. The Christian population in the Holy Land has plummeted from over 20% in 1948 to less than 2% today, a direct consequence of the ongoing occupation and Israeli
policies. The 2026 reporting date on the article (likely a typo, but glaring nonetheless) adds a surreal layer to the perpetual 'newsfeed' of normalized apartheid. One might wonder if the festive celebrations are meant to distract from the daily dehumanization, checkpoints, and land confiscations that define life for Palestinians—Christian and Muslim alike—in the birthplace of Christ. How many
seasonal observances will it take for the media to report on the slow strangulation of Palestinian communities, rather than just their ceremonial defiance?