3 Palestinians arrested for burning Christmas tree at Catholic church in Jenin

In a statement, the police force condemned what it described as an effort to provoke sectarian unrest in Judea and Samaria, stressing that the incident would be treated as a criminal act rather than a religious dispute.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Palestinian Authority police arrested three men this week in connection with an overnight arson attack that damaged a Christmas tree and part of a Nativity display at a Catholic church in Jenin, an incident officials said appeared intended to inflame religious tensions, Fox News reports.

According to the Holy Redeemer Latin Church, the fire was set around 3 a.m. Monday in the church courtyard. Surveillance footage reviewed by Palestinian Authority Police led investigators to identify and detain three suspects, who were taken into custody on Wednesday. Police said tools believed to have been used in the attack were seized during the arrests.

In a statement, the police force condemned what it described as an effort to provoke sectarian unrest in Judea and Samaria, stressing that the incident would be treated as a criminal act rather than a religious dispute.

Photos released by the church showed the remains of a synthetic Christmas tree stripped of its green plastic branches, with red and gold ornaments scattered across the courtyard stones. Church staff cleared away the damage within hours, and a new tree was erected the following day in advance of Christmas Mass.

Local religious leaders moved quickly to present a united front. The church hosted a ceremony attended by Muslim and Christian clerics as well as local political figures. Rev. Amer Jubran, the parish priest, said the attack did not reflect broader relations in the city and emphasized coexistence between communities.

“This occasion reaffirmed that attempts to harm religious symbols will never diminish the spirit of the city nor the faith of its people,” the Holy Redeemer Church said in a statement.

Christians make up an estimated 1% to 2% of the roughly 3 million Palestinians living in Judea and Samaria, where Muslims constitute the overwhelming majority.

Across the Middle East, Christian populations have steadily declined over the past decades as families emigrated amid conflict, economic pressure, and extremist violence.

The broader security environment has deteriorated since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, which coincided with increased violence in Judea and Samaria.