Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, marked its first Christmas celebrations since a ceasefire was announced between Israel and Hamas, though concern lingered among Christians following an arson attack near a church elsewhere in the West Bank.
Minority Christians in Palestinian territories faced a tense Christmas after church officials confirmed that “an arson attack” damaged a Christmas tree and a Nativity grotto at the Holy Redeemer Church in Jenin.
A Palestinian court has released evangelical pastor Johnny Shahwan, who spent 40 days in jail for allegedly meeting with Israeli rabbi and politician Yehuda Glick, the Christian Post (CP) reports.
Only a week after Prime Minister Salam Fayyad told a conference of evangelical Protestants that his government respected the rights of Christian minorities, his fellow Palestinian officials told Pastor Naim Khoury that his church could no longer operate as a religious institution under the Palestinian Authority.