Nuns pray on Christmas Eve at the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza City, Dec. 24, 2016. (AP/Khalil Hamra)
Palestinian Christians living in Gaza are under threat not to celebrate Christmas, a flyer circulated by an Islamist group reveals.
By Yona Schnitzer/TPS
A flyer circulated by the Al-Nasser Salah al-Deen Brigades, a coalition of small-scale Islamist groups operating in Gaza, warns the 1,300 Christians living in Gaza, as well as Muslims looking to take part in the holiday festivities, that celebration of the Christian holiday is forbidden by Islam.
The leaflet includes quotes from the Koran alongside a burning Christmas tree.
Israel, however, has taken special measures to assist Palestinian Christians in observing the holiday. On December 19th, Coordinator for Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) Maj. Gen. Kamil Abu Rukun met with various Palestinian leaders, including some residing in the Gaza Strip, presenting special measures such as more flexibility in granting permits for Christian Gazans to visit family members both in the West Bank (Judea and Samaria) and abroad via Ben Gurion Airport.
Roughly 50 percent of all Christians living in Gaza have received these special permits.
Energy Minister Eli Cohen said expanding natural gas exploration and attracting major international energy companies…
Prime Minister Netanyahu again urged unity in forming a coalition government, calling on other parties…
Under U.S. anti-boycott laws, sanctions on Israel could cut British and Dutch citizens off from…
Yashar chairman Roy Folkman is also expected to chair the Knesset Arrangements Committee following Tuesday’s…
Tensions between the US, Israel, and Iran keep escalating as US forces strike an offending…
The complaints included allegations that individuals outside polling stations instructed voters whom to support and…