the, the, the, a subdued christmas investor him festivities are new to this year in the occupied territories. as israel's war on dogs are rages with palestinian christians saying they too are being targeted. so what message does this show us? unity by palestinians convey this is inside storage. the

hello and welcome to the program. i'm telling you, navigate um, usually bustling with visitors from around the world. bethlehem is empty. this christmas festivities are muted in the occupied westbank, as israel shows no sign of ending it's onslaught in god's up is really bonds do not discriminate everything. and everyone in the strip is a target from hospitals to schools and from mosques to churches. so what methods are palestinian christian sending to the world by canceling the sierras festivities in bethlehem? we'll go to our guests in a moment. but 1st this report from michael apple. silent night on christmas eve in a square usually packed with pulled rooms and tourist. of the nativity scene showing the baby jesus and christians believe was born in bethlehem move in 2000 years ago . ult it to reflect israel as war on gaza. we put this model as you'll see,

to reflect the reality. and we are sending a message to the international community and to come here to stand with us to get in cause and to force as the end to step this, aggression against overfeed. and the war in gaza is rainy, raids on palestinian communities in the occupied ways bank and restrictions on movement. it's a time of sorrow and frustration, and it's taking a total of businesses that rely on the holiday season. habits cool saw the situation in bathroom. it's hard because 80 percent of the economy here depends on tourism and we're trying to keep the workshop running for the workers because they all have responsibilities. and this is all i know the address going to come here as long as it will goes on. it's terribly hard inside, it's the same in the old city of occupied east jerusalem shops either shots or mt of customers or atlas of this year. it's much different usually is the height of

activity with all the tobin sit on the fissures, very solemn, worse. and so many to our token, we need peace. we're looking for a piece. it's a wish many palestinian christians are praying for both in the occupied waste bank and within gaza since the beginning of israel's war on gaza. several christian facilities have been attacked and christians killed to the survivors have little to celebrate. this christmas displaced and separated from feminine body is one of about a 1000 palestinian christians. in garza, my last magazine is no one feels the holiday spirit. there won't be the usual christmas decorations or celebrations. we pray to god to end this war soon. stop these massacres. back in bethlehem. worship is a 10 midnight mess in

a show of solidarity the. the cardinal of the latin patriarch k to of jerusalem didn't pay is traditional visits because of this year. instead, his christmas message to live in in bethany him, gaza, you will not alone, lots of band and mikes level for inside story. that's not bringing our gas, joining us from bethlehem and the occupied westbank is a ham jeffrey who's action a palestine communications and advocacy coordinator in rotterdam. the netherlands is frank bozeman, who is an associate professor of cultural fee. ology at the tube or a school of catholic theology and from the old city an occupied east. jerusalem were joined by sammy yusef. he's the ceo of the latin patriarch as of jerusalem. thank you all for joining us. a good to be with you on inside story saw me yusef in occupied east jerusalem. tell us how you are observing christmas. i think the very

sadly i must admit the business to see it is very amusing. uh, even only the best sections uh on top of the going to belong to resume uh give them to continue to. the conflicting does. uh and of course the lack of any movement uh on the westbank. so it has to be one of the service that concerned the businesses that we have been with this thing and no, nothing in the long, long, long time. the best to have him yesterday. it was very sad in many ways. uh, i think that our many truck goes up to the front of down uh, including of course the collapse of the doors and sometimes uh, in particular, after around october, 2nd uh, lock mobility. people could not go into best them. i my son did not go to the message on yesterday and the check went so a couple of hours ago. so uh and of course uh the, the,

uh, government suspension. uh uh, so people don't, uh, basically access the job is on the, on the lack of any salary is paid by the, the, i've seen a lot of people that make you 10001007. so if you look at it from any angle that you wish of my home because of the disasters. so but the 2nd base, the but also once i bring on the left front, uh, also sending it to the console on the combines really, i think the main, the beach actually that's basically gosh, all celebrations. uh, surrounding christmas with the exception for so the let me just set up a new search place last night with the church up and that's right. okay, let's get the view from best. let him now were very hands off already. anyhow. every christmas there's a huge christmas tree that's split up in bethlehem this year. that's not happening . the nativity, sculpture and in bethlehem has been put together this year instead of that

christmas tree. tell us about that sculpture and what message it's sending out. and thanks for having me the yes, the home is very stuff this year. and then we joined in bethlehem to see the 3 is are full of visitors on products. and the starting ends in christmas to, to the are degraded, bought the this, the year to get tub the tub. and if it is the, the best thing, any questions. and the best thing is, most things are hidden. bit to him are sad and, and andre, and celebrating going up or on with this thing the christmas with being with the, what are you with this story about the, what it is happening in miss in gather i'm the was bank money or, but it's doing any cris chance all for her in the him have somebody go through that the in gather some of them,

most of this is evidence of that and with the is there any text the thought a good chance to them and they want to be done in data and the so the but it did to him thought celebrate and sending get the message to the war. then dot said we'd love to celebrate. we want the word it tool tools to, to support the seats by us to demand the word read the story of seats via the stop started to think about muslims. and because tends to be able in, in data. and we bank also and they also and but it's too many christians feel better. what is the other wisdom because they come up so many get with the little bit of friends in gather your through the it blocked off the communication and also if they suffer from the movement restriction, they come up to go event that christians who are living in victor, i'm gonna go to joe who said him the other place at the end,

but it's done to do is to meet with the get this together with the latest to do it, to the district, to do it, to the throat is the closer embossed in different parts of the bank, right? so the message of that is dns here is to demand the water to it, to the sward, demantzy toyota authority to be to add to a to b. and just as for better thing is, okay, frank as someone from abroad. how do you observe what's going on right now in the occupied territories? and particularly, i mean, every christmas, one of the most important rituals and palestine is the procession of the patriarch from jerusalem taking place on december 24th for catholics. now, this is a tradition to stated back to the ottoman empire, and we understand this here, the procession will go on, but there won't be any festivities. there won't be any musical bands, as there usually are. every year. it's more of a silent procession. how significant is that? well, you can, you can see this so significant because usually these kinds of rituals of the roman

catholic tradition also. and by the time a project for them to congress, i talked to somebody and see that it is like a almost like a religious call holder as music or a saying, there are beautiful decorations all over the city. people are long procession. so for our be people praying people seeing christian christian hands and the whole the whole, the territories about something to do with us as a patient of the faith of the night and the type of treatment, the coffee with your heart condition. so and, and, and gaza also, right, it has to be turned down of course, not only because there are notorious on their own opens to call them, but also it's long time for, for me because that appraisal the time to, to celebrate the life. and to celebrate uh, your religious tradition, if, if, if you are in the middle of the wall so, so of course, pressures will continue, your business will be set a branch and has been separated. well, so in, in, in the kind of judge god's office of cost, it's a time of morning. it's

a time of loss. i'm on the time of happiness. unfortunately, my christmas is all right, so last feasible, joy and peace, right. so i mean use a for christmas is a national holiday for all palestinians. it's not just the christian holiday, and we understand that even the palestinian authority considers it a national holiday. muslims traditionally to attend the parades as well. give us a sense of the unity at this time of year between the palestinian muslims and the palestinian christians in the context of the gods. or that's definitely, i mean this is a is thought of many that is consistent. the national holiday does not mean from a just point of view of the cushion sort of facebook, but also how awesome uh, brothers and sisters do something great with us as well. and send this over that again. and unity and it is not on the christmas really about that too. i think

signifies that unity, i think the most. and instead of going to use uh, the price on the back, a uh, upgrade to a network of uh, of the schools that are 44 schools that the but they didn't buy the turn came to the sign to have them on. and guys, uh, and for the most part, really the, the majority, and that was fine, at least to all of the students, a function that most of the students and us that because the, the, the edition really is of the. so the base on the screen, the big base, a couple questions on muslims and schools on the streets itself. okay. national trust. the only day i'm that signifies the, the, i think, the, the unity and that's christian, the education, it's an advocate of social services. and it's going to take a significant presence and, and that's the cushion. it doesn't say anything. institutional concern. the cushion

presence is more pain cushion. so just of the cushions on the, or the range to be the tell us more about it. just one more question for you. so i mean, just tell us more about the how look we understand the christians and guys a while they're smaller number. they do have an institutional presence in here. we're just mentioning that there are 2 schools that are run by the patriarch. it there give us a sense of what is the percentage right now of the christian community and gaza and how strong are they institutionally? as far as the number of questions it goes on really, i mean, talking about the under 1000, the cushions and guys, when we started before the war at 1017. and we have lost 25 people. actually since the beginning of the war, 17 of 2. yes. and what's your interest charge to get equal hopes on the building collapsed so so to be by the, on the punish, complex m,

about 5 or 6 people use too many medical neglect so that they just simply became 2nd, but not a government because 3 months. so that's when you're talking about 25 people, that's about 2.5 percent of the cushion population does not therefore lines as a result of the consequence the, the key of the water. is that the significance for any population? uh, i want to give him about the size, the, the cushion. so these are the configurations in gaza and that's what i'm talking about. because you've done it the reason in the gallery in jordan as well, because it shows on this institution of drug screening and education has got social services as a proportion confusion from the cushion. now we're really into the building of societies at large. uh and if we can get got some good examples, allow them to turn it to schools that belong to the catholic. go to the circuits in

particular, but there's also rosalie sisters school on the. ready church and then on to other schools cushion the nature of the school and i think the corner looks for so 5. so in total is actually in gaza. right. and the percentage of mission population, there's no more than i would imagine 5 or some combined. so 95 percent of our students it goes on the, the most of them students and so, you know, they appreciate that that you sent that this kathlyn christian education i think brings the as the bottom of the educational process. the and frank last spring and frank franklin, we ask you this with the dwindling numbers of christians in gaza in particular, if we just focus on gaza for a moment. and obviously, i mean, human rights organizations are saying that as real as bombing indiscriminately, and they're bombing civilians. and that includes all palestinians and gaza. but if we specifically look at the christians now who say they are being targeted, their, their, their hospitals are being targeted as well as their churches. do you fear that the

christian community is at risk of extinction because of this war? well, i think that the price is what's the pressure to say the least birthday is very difficult. there are a lot of countries where christians can live in relative peace, upside down. there are couple of conference in the middle east by the patient. presence is already another message that's pressure. and this, this was involved raging on and got the goals score, sorry, bad news for the population. the already small population operations in uh, been gone and there are lots of different places to be found. they're connected to the questionnaire. differently to getting close to the truck and the 15 it would be a very yeah, great country for, for all the people and god of especially for, for christians because we have so many people that's the sort of star key and that's got to be the relevant to be there, we have been there so long to that because this place for christ believes that long . so it would be, it would be an historical trinity and i'm trying to see if it's purchased,

which seems to exist in, in god. oh, okay. one more for here before i bring under home, but do you think that the christian community, i mean here speak to us from the netherlands, from what you see in sort of the in europe in the western world. do you think that the christian community is speaking out enough when it comes to the attacks against christians in gaza as well as what we're seeing happening in the occupied westbank in terms of the strikes and the blockades and, and the, the effective apartheid there. i think that's i'm saying that the christians in modern days have uh maybe i forgot how they should to come up for both a brother and in, in the face. so christians in the west are most probably common to stand up for those. what point does cutest is not a boss? also will might be north korea are china or in the or in the middle east. so there isn't a lot of them. is much outcry for all the victims of the come fix on both sides of

the conflict. but there is not so much attention to the position of the christians in, in, in this conflict it's not considered to be a very newsworthy kind of item. so there's not, not so much attention, but we should be more. yeah. and i mean, as we say the, the attacks and the strikes in gaza, or in fact targeting everybody and not to, according to human rights organizations, as well as many people that we spoken to here at alpha 0. uh huh. let me bring you in the deputy mayor of jerusalem. and earlier this week she was giving an interview to media. and she claimed that there are no christians or churches in gaza saying that they were driven out by him us. when you hear such statements, what does it make you think? and what's your response to that statement is in response to the degree and, and i'm feeling a, the, the statement of your, the gusts and there is

a lot of them, 1000 degrees chance in the, in gas on many projects in with the bank. and this that are to have just been out of scores that are existence. and then i would remind you one of the, one of the victims who is um, usually send it home, but uh, who was killed in this in war by. it's either right. and then also she was more and she loved the muddy. i'm the head of the achievements and he is this in music and he music cheap month was said and achieved. i'm highlighted by monday, but his team and, and the to show it that's the biggest thing and it goes just in gaza, existing and are going to do think the single best thing is to say to the good, think, openness to dish and, and they are the very to speak to, to be part of the community in gazda and they have many achievements they are being

targeted other they bought to population in gather. i'm already home for those who might be a wondering just tell us how old is the christian presence in gaza? good to have oh, they are living today and 4 digits for me before that of them. but hunger associates. i don't have the exact and okay just how, how, how long they have been living did, but they are bottle, but it's jimmy on. or did you not a history in the, in gather and they have a good legacy. i've got history and a good, a cheap rent in addition, and they would, there are many but his team in regards to contribute the on nation not delivered just i'm going to go live a to, but it's to me in the history to. but as deanna is to be like dish, and i mean, i'm the, i'd love that a bit ottoman in, for example, this, but it's doing and to man and use it shows your home. but i was a lot of that as being any cause chance who is no on forehead legacy,

forehead music for here on the forehead. contribution interesting and community in get stuff so we cannot ignore and that and see that they bluff except they are. they exist and they have a good click as big and they have an origin of history there in gas all. okay, so i mean religious and 8 organizations have been sending coordinates, they say to the u. n, as well as to israel. since the war and garza started in october, but at the same time we've seen israel continued to conduct the operations and continued to strike religious sites as well as hospitals. you'll remember the, the strike on the and the baptist hospital earlier in the war. what is your reaction to these places being hit in this way? and i think one of the great, so actually because indeed we have done what we needed to do from day one of the war. but the coordinates of all day, the churches, in particular, the churches,

all the government and monica, the constitution. so uh, the next word word provided to both parties and the directory. so these are, you know, kind of key is fun to us in the united states and all of the about the come and the only see until very smooth media and media does as well. so the coordinators are whether or not in many ways and i'm in spanish. busy they need to see that on the cushion institutions, of course, and with the sort of institutions and that we have to care for them. and we have to ensure that, you know, the safety of the people that the future in our institutions is bizarre. but, but the gordon, it's a very well known, i think, the very science 80, to see that the, you know, in the particular way, not only the in the, because of us, but also the, the book and the premises of the and when it comes to the church inside the church, homebound, in addition to the, i think the starting to the generally the, the,

the fuel down right next to him, which is adjacent to the target. so again, the 16 and recapture done the presidents, the as part of the so the, so let me just ask you this. um, if you don't mind when, when your organization sends coordinates to you, say that is really is as well as b u. n. and even the americans, what kind of response do you get? if you get a response at all? if we don't get the response under the sponsors that they are aware of and that is given to the team and to every every because i'm going to be day come tomorrow civilians, i'm and the are these institutions. but this is war and war uh, states have, i'm just judgment that balance and was, i'm, this is the, the response that we usually get. right. okay. a frank just to pick up on a point that you were noting a few moments ago you were talking about the christian presence, in fact, in the region and not only in gaza, the archbishop, off on the head,

not from the greek orthodox church in jerusalem. back in 2021. he said that the number of christians emigrating from the middle east has reached unprecedented levels. and he called to preserve this important components in the region. in your opinion, what does the disappearance of the christian elements or the dwindling of the christian elements from power spine mean for the country itself. and also for the region, all the things on the israel and the senior is one of the places where people from the 3 ever medics phase can prove that they need one of the couple of days to get the bottom of them. so if christians muslims, and you cannot find a way to get together, especially in terms of learning about simon and last, throughout the place of a sudden pool and falls free unassisted additions, then, well, then it gets to help the rest of the world. so andrew, israel as a bonus, points of the in semester and it just attention almost has been

a challenge for always be a, that's fine. and if what else, it's really what happened to disappear altogether from, from israel post findings. what mean? well, to suggest that the only way that the 3 months is to create is gonna work together was one of them disappeared. so maybe into them disappears. what would be such a shame for only uh, apartment $6.00, pay for, for humanity. as a whole, we must find a way to live together in peace a home can you weigh in on this. so in your opinion, what does the, the dwindling numbers of this religious group in the region mean for diversity of the region? so this means that the, that there are the many, the political factors, the mainly the occupation of the commission bonuses in the, in that, in back to the immigration of the, in the village. just i'm not of interest to groups and there are many that is doing

and young people as a uh, including most of the christians. oh uh i said look for immigration for him, but it's fine. and the from guest on to from, with bank due to that invitation you deal with a deductible. deb tentative to deal with the political situation. so this means that the and they are affected or the current and the continuous, the blockade embossed in gas up and was bank distinction. and this means that that is daniella young people investing in. so i mean, it's totally great or leaving to buy this time. and they and they are not interested in the immigration, the other got this book. they want to seek another place where they could find the better living or but the condition to live at this. this is an invitation for immigration, different in spots of the better thing as society outside,

but it's time. so i'm in here. so if with you, give us the final word on your final thoughts on this topic. the store, right? i think uh the only that wouldn't be a very sundays if the cushion because uh this abuse and i would like to cancel things on the value. so maybe the, the condition that you sent me is one of your loan forgiveness and coexist. samsung enter spanish and loving these, and then this message really focus that for the rest of the venue set up for the sum of institutions through services, a whole new institutions on vacation services. that message doesn't change during final course. so even though the final format message remains the same, and the best message disappears from the scene, what is the other message that today we are on the seats and the bench i'm off coming up on struction. that's all i'm and so. so you need, you honestly name the message that's more than anything message really to remain as

part of the most saying or going into the would be a very, very sad face. this impression the presence disappears and my home really the, the presence sweetie is fascinated into strong the institutions of the various churches that are providing the services. once the support is over, they also i would like to see the stronger mission, presidents and the number, then the diminished. okay. on that. no, it's, we'll leave it there. thank you so much for joining us. sort of home as off already . thank you. frank bozeman, we appreciate your time, and so i'm in use of thanks very much. thanks for watching. you can see the program again any time by visiting our website. delta 0 is all com. for further discussion . you can go to our facebook page, dots, facebook dot com, forward slash inside story. you can join the conversation on x or handle is a j inside story from myself and the whole team here. and so how, thanks for watching bye for enough, the

a highly toxic pesticides linked to elevated occurrences of parkinson's disease and the farmers who used it. were you ever warned about the health effects of hardware? no fault lines exposes how for decades a global chemical giant withheld information, while doubts of american prophecy actually said, you should never put the words per question. parkinson's disease of the same sentence, the pesticide play book on a jersey. this is the view that no scene has been looking out for the past 20 years to these really separation barrier cuts. her family's landing upon the village in august, they hunted several time indecent. you confiscation orders to expand the wall. the walls length is more than double that of the 1967 voters for palestinians. the wall

is an extension of israel system of control part of a wider network of roads, supplements and checkpoints. bill to give is really the offer hon while making their lights on bearable by the day the, [000:00:00;00] the hello i'm about to send a, this is the news, our life from bill hard coming up in the next 60 minutes, con eunice under attack. the latest is really strikes some jobs on leave at least 7 palestinians day video images of palestinians, stripped to their underwear by his very forces at a sports stadium and gaza still