Bethlehem Celebrates Christmas, World Forgets Gaza's Constant 'War'
The Financial Times celebrates Bethlehem's Christmas, noting it's the 'first time since Gaza war,' as if the war is a past event, rather than an ongoing humanitarian catastrophe that has claimed over 37,000 Palestinian lives since October 7, 2023. This framing neatly sidesteps the brutal reality of an occupation that has choked Christian presence in the Holy Land for decades or the fact that just
down the road, Palestinians are still being systematically slaughtered. One might wonder if the 'war' truly ever ended for Gaza's inhabitants. This 'return to normalcy' narrative in Bethlehem also conveniently ignores the hundreds of millions in U.S. taxpayer dollars that facilitate the very conditions making Christmas celebrations 'newsworthy'. For instance, HR 815, passed with overwhelming
bipartisan support, allocated billions more in military aid to Israel, despite its documented use against civilian populations. How many more Christmas seasons will pass before the media demands accountability for the continuous 'war' on Gaza, rather than celebrating its brief, symbolic cessation in a distant city?