The birthplace of Christianity is in Israel-Palestine, where many Palestinians still celebrate Christmas today. Unfortunately, millions of Palestinians in 2018 suffer under a brutal Israeli military occupation, which is intensified by the presence of Israel’s illegal 8-metre-high Wall throughout the West Bank. While the Israeli government insists on exercising control over Palestine, many Palestinians and Israelis, as well as many international organizations – including Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East – are working to break the political barriers to bring peace and goodwill to the region this holiday season.

Many people don’t realize it, but many of Christianity’s most revered sites are located in Palestine – among them Bethlehem, the Biblical site of the birth of Jesus. Unfortunately, in 2018, Bethlehem suffers under Israeli military occupation and is bisected by an illegal 8-metre-high Wall constructed by Israel. Despite these challenges and a lack of political goodwill, many individual Palestinians and Israelis, as well as many international organizations – including Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (http://cjpme.org) – are working for peace on earth in Israel-Palestine this holiday season.

Many people don’t realize it, but many of Christianity’s most revered sites are located in Palestine – among them Bethlehem, the Biblical site of the birth of Jesus.  Unfortunately, in 2018, Bethlehem suffers under Israeli military occupation and is bisected by an illegal 8-metre-high Wall constructed by Israel.  Today, 1.7 percent of all Palestinians are Christians – including eleven thousand in the modern city of Bethlehem – who celebrate Christmas along with the rest of the world.