The plight of Christians in Bethlehem and Jerusalem predates the latest Gaza war

This year’s nativity scene in Bethlehem depicts a baby swaddled in a Palestinian (a chequered headdress)resting on a heap of rubble. It is hard to spot the wise men, frankincense, or myrrh. The war in Gaza has prompted a drastic scaling back of celebrations in the West Bank. No banquets, no traditional parades of Boy Scouts, no pilgrims. Bethlehem is silent. Christmas in the land where Jesus Christ was born has, in effect, been cancelled.Gaza’s dwindling community of Palestinian Christians has been hard hit since October 7th. At least 16 were killed in an air raid that damaged the church of St Porphyrius, Gaza city’s oldest. Pope Francis called Israel’s actions in Gaza “terrorism” after a Christian mother and daughter were shot dead as they sheltered in a church compound. Church leaders say half of Gaza’s Christians have fled since the war began.