Ramallah, West Bank – Palestinians switched off Christmas lights at Jesus’ traditional birthplace in Bethlehem on Wednesday night in protest at U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
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A Christmas tree adorned with lights outside Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity, where Christians believe Jesus was born, and another in Ramallah, next to the burial site of former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, were plunged into darkness.
“The Christmas tree was switched off on the order of the mayor today in protest at Trump’s decision,” said Fady Ghattas, Bethlehem’s municipal media officer.
He said it was unclear whether the illuminations would be turned on again before the main Christmas festivities.
In a speech in Washington, Trump said he had decided to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and move the U.S. embassy to the city.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Trump’s move marked the beginning of a new approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and said it was an “historic landmark”.
Arabs and Muslims across the Middle East condemned the U.S. decision, calling it an incendiary move in a volatile region and the European Union and United Nations also voiced alarm at the possible repercussions for any chances of reviving Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking.
The capital of palestine territory was Ramala for 500 years.They fought war in 1948 and lost all of the land. They have refused to sign a peace treaty with israel .Now they declare jerusalem to be their capital when they don’t even have a state It’s called ”chutzpah ” in yiddish.They aren’t ashamed to tell fables and call it truth.
If the lights, there will only be fewer pilgrims to stay in the few Bethlehem hotels Xmas time. It is bad for business and for the pals tourist trade. They will be the losers in the long run. But who said they had any brains?
there was no Palestine ever – there was Eretz Yisroel and Trans-jordan
No! They turned off the lights?!! Say it aint so!
How old is Tel Aviv, that it can even be called a capital?
they turned off the electricity that was supplied to them by Israel but not to a Jewish place since there are NONE in Bethlehem or in Ramallah or in any WB city, so they turned of the lights to a Christian place.
What would happen if a Jew or Christian turned off the electricity to a mosque? RIOTS.
They are so nuts, I was at Kever Rachel Sunday night & they were playing Jingle Bells very loudly over their loudspeakers. It was actually really funny.