The Christmas libel
For graphic evidence of the way bigotry destroys rationality, the annual hate-fest against Israel over the plight of Bethlehem’s Arab Christians is a jaw-dropping example. As in previous years, Israel is being blamed for the fact that the Bethlehem Christians have been all but driven out. As in previous years the Church of England leads the charge, with clerics and activists blaming their parlous position on the ‘wall’, the checkpoints and the economic hardship -- which are all put down to Israel’s apparent malevolence, with no acknowledgement whatever of the terror mounted against Israel by Bethlehem’s citizens, or the terror mounted against the town’s Christians by the ruling Muslim Arabs.
This year the campaign has been enlivened by the graffiti artist Banksy, who has been illuminating the security barrier (but not the debate) with scenes of Israeli ‘repression’, thus bestowing an aesthetic and even cultish patina upon this Big Lie.
Last year, churches up and down Britain replaced their traditional manger scenes with the propaganda of hatred – collages about the security barrier suggesting that the Palestinians were effectively playing the part of Christ in being crucified all over again. Now this disgusting development has been taken one stage further. A group called the Amos Trust is selling nativity sets with a wall down the middle cutting off the wise men from the manger. The Amos Trust¹s website markets the display as
A nativity set with a difference...poignant, ironic and made in Bethlehem.It might have been more poignant, and rather more true to life, had the model come with a detachable suicide bomber. For the only reason the Palestinians are suffering from the security barrier is that it was erected solely to stop them from murdering any more Israelis. If they abandoned their terrorism, the barrier would immediately come down.
Such moral blindness apart, it is truly remarkable that these mindless bigots never pause to ask themselves the obvious question. If it really is Israel that is driving out Bethlehem’s Christians, then why isn’t it equally driving out Bethlehem’s Muslims? Same Israeli ‘occupying’ forces; same separation barrier; same hardship, brutality, economic sanctions etc. Are we to assume, perhaps, that Israel has a particular problem with Christians, rather than the Muslims or Arabs in general, that the rest of the world has somehow missed? (In which case, might they not also scratch their heads at the fact that Israel is the only country in the Middle East where Christians have thrived and multiplied, rising in number from 34,000 in 1948 to nearly 130,000 in 2005?) Might there not be the teensiest, weensiest morsel of a clue in the fact that, whereas a few years ago Bethlehem was mainly Christian, now it is 80 per cent Muslim? Might the fact that such a dramatic change occurred simultaneously with Bethlehem coming under Muslim control after Oslo (thus making all those responsible for that satirically named 'peace process' accessories to the persecution of Bethlehem's Christians) just possibly have something to do with it?
But no, of course none of these upstanding church people and the myriad others who have absorbed the Big Lie would even consider such questions -- because they are the same people who resolutely ignore the evidence of Muslim persecution of Christians not only in the Palestinian territories but around the world. As Abraham Miller reported recently in FrontPageMagazine:
In the West Bank town of Taibe marauding Muslims burned, looted and beat Christian residents in the name of a Muslim family’s ‘honor,’ a family whose father had brutally beaten his daughter to death for wanting to marry a Christian. The violent Muslim mob burned a statue of the Virgin Mary and shouted, ‘Burn the Crusaders!’ PA fire and security forces took their time arriving on the scene, appearing hours later. In the end, the mob was almost immediately released from jail. Meanwhile, the Christian fiancée of the murdered woman was arrested and beaten while incarcerated. The lesson—that of the mob being released while an innocent Christian languished in jail—was not lost on the Christian community of the West Bank!There are, thankfully, decent Christians who do realise the truth of all this. The Church’s grotesque scapegoating of the Jews prompted this open letter last year to the Archbishop of Canterbury from Mark Rogers of Anglican Friends of Israel:
I have read the article in ‘The Tablet’ in which you speak about people leaving Bethlehem in large numbers and then ask the question: “I would like to know how much it matters to the Israeli Government to have Christian communities in the Holy Land. Are they an embarrassment or are they part of a solution? That’s a question.”
No doubt the Israelis have already given you their answer, perhaps informing you that the Christian Arab population within the pre 1967 borders of Israel has grown from approximately 34,000 in 1948 to nearly 130,000 in 2005. Ironically this is the only part of the Middle East where the Christian population is growing.
You should really have asked the Palestinian Authority how much it matters to them that there are Christian communities in their territory.The main reason for the departure of Christians from PA administered territories is the religious persecution, murder and land grabs which stems from the increased Islamisation of the region. This is the result of the PA adopting Muslim religious law in the territories in contrast to Israel which safeguards the religious freedom of its citizens.
You have nothing to say about the likes of George Rabie, featured in a recent article in the Mail on Sunday who is a taxi driver from Bethlehem and was beaten up by Muslims using his cab when they discovered he is a Christian. He said ‘Every day, I experience discrimination. It is a type of racism. We are a minority so we are an easier target. Many extremists from the villages are coming into Bethlehem.’
Nor have you championed the cause of those who have been subjected to forced marriages of Christian women to Muslim men, received death threats for distributing the Bible to willing Muslims, or been intimidated into wearing traditional ultra-modest Islamic clothing. Nor have you written about the churches which have been firebombed by Muslim extremists protesting against the remarks of the Pope (most recently in Nablus, Tubas, and Gaza). Nor about the situation in which Christian Arabs have found their land expropriated by Muslims or been forced to pay bribes to win the freedom of family members jailed on trumped-up charges.
All of this is the main reason why Christian Arabs have been selling or abandoning homes and businesses, seeking to escape the chaos and corruption of the PA and move to Israel, Europe, South America, North America, or wherever they can get a visa. Why do you have nothing to say about any of this in The Tablet or other public media? Of course you do not need to answer. We all know. No one in public life dares to make any comment even mildly critical of Islamic behaviour. On the other hand Israeli Jews are an easy target
Earlier this month, Khaled Abu Toameh in the Jerusalem Post reported from his sources yet another attack upon a Christian in Gaza:
They said four masked gunmen tried to kidnap Nabil Fuad Ayad, who works as a guard at a local church. Nabil's cousin, Rami, was kidnapped and murdered two months ago by the same group, the sources said. The sources identified the gunmen as members of the radical Islamic Salafi movement.
…The Salafis, who have become very active in the Gaza Strip in recent months, are totally opposed to common Western concepts like economics, constitutions and political parties. They refer to the 2,500 Christians in the Gaza Strip as Crusaders and have vowed to drive them out of the area.
…Christians living in the Gaza Strip told the Post that they were very worried about the increased attacks on members of their community and religious institutions. ‘The latest incident is aimed at sending a message to all the Christians here that we must leave,’ said a Christian leader. ‘Radical Islamic groups are waging a campaign to get rid of us and no one seems to care.’
More recently, the distinguished international human rights lawyer Justice Reid Weiner, who has written a monograph on the plight of Christians in the Palestinian areas, told a conference about the real cause of their suffering. The Jersualem Post reported earlier this month:
He cited Muslim harassment and persecution as the main cause of the acute ‘human rights crisis’ facing Christian Arabs and predicted that unless governments or institutions step in to remedy the situation -- such as with job opportunities -- there will be no more Christian communities living in the Palestinians territories within 15 years with only a few Western Christians and top clergymen left in the area.
‘Christian leaders are being forced to abandon their followers to the forces of radical Islam’[, Weiner said…
Weiner argued there was a 180 degree difference" between the public statements coming out of the mainstream Christian leadership in the Holy Land - who "sing the PA's tune" and blame Israel for all the Christian Arabs' ills - and people's experience on the ground. ‘The truth is beginning to come out he said. The question is what is being done with the truth.’
His comments come just months after a prominent Christian activist Rami Khader Ayyad 32 was killed in Gaza. ‘For too long the plight of Christian Arabs has been put on the back-burner or ignored altogether;. said Rev. Malcolm Hedding, executive director of the International Christian Embassy, a Jerusalem-based evangelical organization.
The Evangelical leader, who has drawn the wrath of Catholic leaders in the Holy Land for his strong support for Israel, said that ‘power politics’ has prevented the major Christian leaders in the Holy Land from speaking out on this issue.’There is a one-sided debate in which Israel is responsible for everything he said. The Christian world needs to stand up and speak out about this.’
But it is not. On this, the true cause of Christian perseuction, it is silent. Instead it scapegoats the Jews. At this particular time of year, the historical resonance is deafening.
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Melanie Phillips is a Daily Mail columnist. She also writes for the Jewish Chronicle and is a panellist on BBC Radio Four's Moral Maze. Her most recent book is 'Londonistan', published by Encounter and Gibson Square.
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Stuart
December 18th, 2007 3:35pmMelanie, this article has to be written every year because these idiots aren't going to be cured of their Iconic Jew Hatred. This year you've done the subject proud with the brilliant logical question "Why do Palestinian Muslims thrive in Bethlehem while Palestinian Christian leave". Why do we forget the desecration of the church in Betlehem by Palestinian Terrorist who fled there and held a siege? I remember from your previous blog home you did an article on the intimidation of Palestinian Christians. Worth ressurecting.
Steve Macklevore
December 18th, 2007 3:46pm"If they abandoned their terrorism, the barrier would immediately come down." No Melanie. The wall is an instrument of theft - it is built entirely on land stolen from Palestinian farms and villages, and is designed to make that theft a "fact on the ground" should any two state solution be imposed upon Israel. As for the wall's security aspects, years after being started it is still not complete (it takes time to bulldoze those olive groves and demolish all those Palestinian houses). As for the pervasive lie that Muslim Palestinians persecute Christians; Israel has done everything in its power to destroy Palestinian society. Christians play an important part in this society as leading members of the commercial and intellectual middle class. Consequently, these Christian Palestinians have the means and the opportunity to escape the hellish Israeli occupation by emigration. The Israeli habit of blaming the victims of the occupation for their plight is morally repugnant and historically ridiculous. The fact that Melanie, ever ready to remind us of centuries of Jewish persecution, cannot see the contemptible hypocrisy of her views is literally incredible.
Andra Cristea
December 18th, 2007 3:52pmI always read you, Melanie, but I never took the time to thank you. Thank you, Melanie, for everything, and may you have a Merry Christmas d'antan...signs: a fellow European of Romanian origin, educated in Britain and now a mental refugee in America
Phillip Reece
December 18th, 2007 5:33pmSteve, If the wall is an instrument of theft its one hell of an expensive way to expropriate land, In fact probably the most expensive way ever devised by man but keep on blaming the jews mate, The thieving jews have returned the Sinai to Egypt,pulled out of Lebanon, and given the Gaza Strip to the so called Palestinians, But nothing seems to placate the homicidal Jew hatred because nothing ever will.
dsquared
December 18th, 2007 6:56pm"So called Palestinians"? If you're going to accuse someone else of bigotry, it might be a good idea to leave out this sort of phrase.
Ahad Ha'amoratzim
December 18th, 2007 8:19pmSteve Macklevore proves, as have so many others on this blog (and especially the Al Dura threads) that when it comes to fighting the monster of Zionism, truth should never allowed to become an obstacle. Phillip Reece has done an excellent and concise job of rebutting his disinformation, but sadly there are those who believe that no lie is too monstrous or too transparent to be aimed at Israel.
Antonia
December 18th, 2007 8:21pmdsquared, 'so called Palestinians' is a proper moniker for the people whose recently invented 'Palestinian' nationality never existed in the history of the region.
Mrs.Josephine Hyde-Hartley
December 19th, 2007 12:31amThank you for your comments, Melanie. I've had a look at the "monologue" you kindly provide and notice it was written in 2005. Thankfully things are improving, as we can see with all this new aid apparently pouring in. Also, did you get to view "A common word between us and you" document( and site) which came out earlier this year? It's really good -the kind of dialogue we need to encourage if we want to help the people in Jerusalem, rather than getting stuck in "blaming and/or feeling blamed" mode.
John Edwards
December 19th, 2007 1:03amSome quick points. In 1997 according to the United Nations the population in urban Bethlehem was divided between 22318 Christians and 22562 Muslims. It is therefore misleading to state as Melanie does "a few years ago Bethlehem was mainly Christian". It was 50/50 before the second intifada and impact of the Wall and related repressive measures, catastrophic economic decline and general lawlessness (and the harassment of minorities which often occurs in such situations). It is also instructive to look at the proportion of Christians in the Palestinian population within Israel. This has declined from around 25% in 1948 to perhaps 10% today. This gives us an important clue about the impact of demographic factors such as different birth rates in parts of the Palestinian population. According to Israel's bureau of Census statistics, the average Christian household in Israel contains 3.5 people compared to 5.2 in a Muslim household. In 2005 33% of Christians were under the age of 19 compared to 55% of Muslims. One would not expect the picture to be much different in the Occupied Territories where it would also be reasonable to expect the proportion of Christians to be eroded over time by a higher Muslim birth rate. The other important factor and indeed the main explanation of the decline of the Christian population in Bethlehem is of course emigration. Palestinian Christians have traditionally been wealthier, educated, more likely to be urban based business owners than poor subsistence farmers. Their greater financial means combined with other factors such as links to the churches enables Palestinian Christians to seek refuge abroad in higher numbers. This is not a new pheomenon around 15% of the world's Palestinians are in fact Christian. The December 2004 report by the United Nations "The changing face of Bethlehem" gives a good account of the economic impact of the Wall, Settlement activity, restrictions on movement and the difficulty of maintaining the links with Jerusalem. The collapse of the tourism industry on which many Christian businesses depended has been particularly devastating. The report notes that approximately 10% of the Christian population emigrated between September 2000 and 2004. This trend has no doubt continued as those who can get out. The decline of Bethlehem's Christian population has causes more significant than Muslim intolerance.
Davo
December 19th, 2007 3:31ami think that the so called Palestinian Christian, who predate Islam by many centuries present an excellent example of minority religions under the UMMAh. They should be referred to henceforth as Islamic Christians whose duty it is to berate those that Islam considers its enemies. It is the state of mind of Slaves who have lived for centuries as untermensch to accept without question their humiliation and degradation . Even with threats of persecution and violence (as documented by the Barnabus fund or above) disappearing into oblivion, such attitudes may take centuries to vanish from their mindsets. And how disturbing to see the Anglicans who face no islamic threats mimic and parrot these views- perhaps a release valve for their latent antisemitism which they are no longer allowed to express in our western society? In the meantime many have fled, having been despoiled of their worldly goods, to Israel where they can practice their religion in freedom. No doubt they will receive as much media attention as the 850,000 Jews who were forced to leave Arab muslim lands after 1948.
Davo
December 19th, 2007 6:22amIt matters not that Israel is accused by some of kicking out the Palestinian Arabs or whether they in fact begged them to stay on. It matters not that Israel treats Palestinians who have suffered "combat" injuries in their hospitals or if they leave to perish in Gaza and elsewhere. Neither does it matter who claims what territories are illegal or legal. All this is hot air for the purpose of subversion and for the ears of the westerners only. Only one thing matters above all this hot air, and it is this- Israel represents the successful national liberation of a Jewish dhimmi civilization originally conquered by the Prophet himself. It is within a stone's throw of Mecca and its existence is a huge insult to Islam who will do whatever it takes to return it to Islam. Even if it takes centuries. Israel is no Andalusia conquered by remote islamized Berbers and the like in a period in which the Prophet took no part personally and a land situated far from Mecca and Medina. The return of Israel is therefore far more important than the return of Spain. All the atrocity accounting is aimed squarely at forming a consensus of opinion that Israel has no right to exist outside the control of Islam. Even if it were proved that Israel had NEVER in its short history committed any atrocities whatsoever, it would not make one iota of difference to the islamists wish to destroy it. Once a region has been conquered for Islam, it is always Islamic and must be re-conquered from the infidel, regardless of the passage of time
Anat
December 19th, 2007 6:40amdsquared, In order to begin to understand the truth of the moniker "so-called Palestinian", please try to answer the following question: Both my parents, both of them Jewish, were born in Palestine a few years before Arafat was born in Cairo, Egypt. So, do tell me in what way he was more "Palestinian" than me?
Michael Medved
December 19th, 2007 8:20amSteve Macklevore: Arabs started several wars of annihilation against the Jewish state, in which they, unfortunately from your point of view, were unsuccessful. The latest round happened in 2000, as they reacted to the proposal of the then Prime Minister Ehud Barak to give them between 88% and 97% of the disputed territories. Would you expect them to be rewarded for their aggression every time by getting more territory? In this case try to correct "the real historic unjustices" first and return some 10 million Sudetendeutschen and their descendants to the nowadays Czech Republic.
David M.
December 19th, 2007 9:03amWhere have all these post WW1 "Palestinians" come from? In 1916/17 when the British purchased the assistance of the desert Arabs, with gold, to expel the previous landlords (i.e. the Turks) the region was a sparsely populated wilderness. Worthless. It was only after some, not all, Jews expressed a desire to return to their homeland that Palestine became desirable real estate again. Religion!
David M.
December 19th, 2007 9:12amIn his memoirs, Orientations published in 1937, Sir Ronald Storrs wrote ..... "Though the territory involved is in extent negligible, though its inhabitants have produced nothing that has mattered to humanity, nevertheless, the problem of reconciling their rights and grievances with the promises made to and the aspirations cherished by an Israel that has meant and still means so much to the world, is apt to become an obsession, rarely accompanied by temperance or justice." and.......... "Even though the land could not yet absorb sixteen millions, nor even eight, enough could return, if not to form The Jewish State, at least to prove that the enterprise was one that blessed him that gave as well as him that took by forming for England "a little loyal Jewish Ulster." in a sea of potentially hostile Arabism." and ........ "We believed (and I still believe) that there was in the world no aspiration more nobly idealistic than the return of the Jews to the Land immortalized by the spirit of Israel. Which nation had not wrought them infinite harm ? Which had not profited by their genius ? Which of all was more steeped in the Book of Books or had pondered more deeply upon the prophecies thereof than England?" A remarkable book. A remarkable man. Correct on all counts!
Stuart
December 19th, 2007 10:37amJohn Edwards, lucky Christian Palestinians then! Quote:- "Their greater financial means combined with other factors such as links to the churches enables Palestinian Christians to seek refuge abroad in higher numbers" So, they are able to 'seek refuge'. Refuge from what? The creeping Islamification of Bethlehem and persecution of Christians. Why don't Palestinian Christians have the same affinity for their country as Palestinian Muslims? Why don't Palestinian Muslims have the same capacity to make business and become affluent as Palestinian Christians? Of course, we should use the phrase "so-called Palestinians" as this was a description created by Arafat after 1967 to unite the Arabs in a cause. Before then the region of Palestine defined by the League of Nations consisted of Jews, Arabs, Christians and Turks
JRL
December 19th, 2007 10:54amScratch John Edwards ... and see what seethes underneath.
BJ
December 19th, 2007 12:32pmThe Baremboim-Said Orchestra was unable to play in Gaza after its sole Palestinian member, violinist Ramzi Aburedwan was prevented from entering the Gaza strip by the Israeli authorities and threatened with arrest, despite the fact that all 20 members of the orchestra, including Aburedwan had secured prior co-ordination from the Israeli authorities via the General Consulate of France to enter Gaza. The orchestra had been booked to perform as part of a Baroque Music Festival which is taking place throughout Palestine and Israel. When the orchestra arrived at the Israeli controlled Erez crossing, all of its international members were told they could pass except (surprise!surprise!) Aburedwan, who was told he had travelled to the crossing illegally despite possessing all the necessary documentation. The orchestra refused to enter Gaza without Aburedwan. After being detained at Erez for almost sven hours, Aburedwan was taken to an Israeli police station accompanied by his fellow musicians where he was held for a further two hours. Obviously another Christmas libel.
Stuart
December 19th, 2007 2:22pmRe Baremboim. Now just because the UK has lax border controls doesn't mean that Israel does. For whatever reason there are travel restrictions for non-resident Palestinians to enter Gaza. When Baremboim says that he has permission for the orchestra to go to Gaza did he declare the names and nationalities of ALL the orchestra members or did he simply ask "Can I take my International Orchestra into Gaza?". Didn't he realise that the Palestinian orchestra member might have problems? Did he make a special provision and request? I know this all sounds draconian and unfair. If it was me I'd let them all in without fuss. If the Israeli restrictions are stupid and not understood then we can't say that everything Israel does is always rational when one skims the story. No, its not a libel to tell the story but neither might the story be as straight as it seems. Maybe you could explain why Jews can't visit Saudi Arabia and why non-Muslims can't go to Mecca or Medina. Why won't certain countries play sport against Jews? See, we can all dig the stories out.
Stuart
December 19th, 2007 4:55pmIts worth recording that Israel has opened the Erez crossing with Gaza in order that 900 Palestinians may attend the Hajj while Egypt wanted to keep its border closed. Its a humanitarian and religious gesture that is sure to be thanked by more rockets.
Stuart
December 19th, 2007 5:00pmAnd just when you don't think the Catholic Church could plumb more depths of absurdity (I don't blame Catholics in any way!), we have this:- "Israel's identity as a Jewish state discriminates against non-Jews, the Holy Land's top Roman Catholic clergyman said in a pre-Christmas address on Wednesday. "If there's a state of one religion, other religions are naturally discriminated against," Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah told reporters at the annual press conference he holds in Jerusalem before the Christian holiday. In his address, which he read in Arabic and English, Sabbah said Israel should abandon its Jewish character in favor of a political, normal state for Christians, Muslims and Jews. "This land cannot be exclusive for anyone," he said." (Haaretz). Anyone heard of Saudi Arabia, The Vatican City?? Doh!!! This clergyman doesn't seem to recognise Israel's Declaration of Independence which guarantees religious and racial freedom. He doesn't recognise that Christians may build churches in Israel. Try doing that in Mecca, Cairo or Islamabad.
John Edwards
December 19th, 2007 11:53pm"Scratch John Edwards.....and see what seethes underneath" (JRL) Do please tell me what seethes underneath my skin. I might need to go to the Doctor's
Michael N
December 20th, 2007 9:01amMr Macklebore, what a shame you didn't manage to muster any facts to sit alongside your textbook rhetoric. It is noteworthy that you fail utterly to address the several concrete accounts of Palestinian Muslim persecution of Palestinian Christians cited in the article you purport to be responding to. Are you saying that those independent sources are all liars, or merely admitting that you don't want what they say to be true so you're going to ignore it? Oh no - my mistake - you do deal with the issue, using impeccable, razor-sharp logic: "As for the pervasive lie that Muslim Palestinians persecute Christians; Israel has done everything in its power to destroy Palestinian society." Brilliant! Proof that those witnesses are liars? Proof and evidence evidently don't matter - just keep repeating the mantra, Israel is evil, Israel is evil, Israel is evil.
Dr. Irene Lancaster
December 23rd, 2007 8:22pmI live and work with Christians in Israel, both Christian Arabs and Christian Palestinians. As a group, they appear to be far better educated than any other group, live in some of the best housing, wear the most expensive clothes and many express a desire to travel, often to the USA or Britain. Their English tends to be excellent, which is more than can be said of many a Jewish resident of Israel, and they generally come across as accomplished, charming and ambitious. They are at liberty to worship as they wish and say what they want, as I experienced yesterday at St. George's Cathedral, Jerusalem, listening to the speech made by the Palestinian Anglican Bishop of the city: http://irenelancaster.typepad.com/my_weblog/2007/12/christmas-conce.html
George
December 28th, 2007 12:49pm"The wall is an instrument of theft - it is built entirely on land stolen from Palestinian farms and villages" That is, quite plainly and demonstrably, a lie. Did someone mention Iconic Jew Hatred?
George
December 28th, 2007 12:52pm"It was 50/50 before the second intifada and impact of the Wall and related repressive measures" Yes, indeed - how dare the Jews defend themselves against plainly declared genocide?
George
December 28th, 2007 12:59pmStuart, one small correction: I believe the so-called Palestinians were invented as far back as 1963 (with the declared and sole aim, of course, of pulling the wool over the world's eyes in the service of the grand purpose of annihilating Israel) ... but I could be wrong and it was indeed 1967.
Ann
December 30th, 2007 2:33pm"Their English tends to be excellent, which is more than can be said of many a Jewish resident of Israel" I don't suppose you have any idea just how revealing that remark is about your agenda.