Jesus Under Attack
“Palestinian Muslims and Christians are well aware that their main and common enemy is Israel. For years, Israel has made them miserable, displaced and even lost their lives because of the cruelty of the Israeli army. Therefore there is no reason not to work together to oppose Israel”
The apartheid system in Israel, especially in the Bethlehem region of Palestine, has been a source of debate and criticism because of its implications for the human rights and living conditions of Palestinians. Some aspects that show inequality and discrimination include restrictions on movement, control of resources, and differences in treatment between Israeli and Palestinian residents..
- First, there are significant movement restrictions for Palestinians in the West Bank, including Bethlehem.
Israeli settlements, separation walls, and checkpoints complicate the mobility of the Palestinian population, hampering access to work, schools, and health services. This creates economic inequality and difficulties in meeting basic needs.
- Second, resource control is a serious problem. Some areas in the West Bank have limited or obstructed access to vital resources such as water and land. The continuous construction of Israeli settlements also reduces the living space for the Palestinian community. In turn, this can be seen as an attempt to control and confiscate resources that should be the right of local residents. In addition, differences in treatment between Israeli and Palestinian citizens are also reflected in law and administration. Emergency and military laws give Israeli authorities sweeping powers, allowing detention without charge, warrantless home searches, and other policies that could degrade human dignity.
This creates an environment where Palestinians live under constant pressure and legal uncertainty.
This is a serious violation of human rights. The international community and human rights groups have condemned this treatment, urging that Israel comply with international law and end practices deemed to violate humanitarian principles. The separation wall dividing the West Bank areas of Bethlehem and Hebron, called the "Apartheid Wall" by some, has become a symbol of controversy and inequality in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This wall is hundreds of kilometers long and separates several Palestinian territories from Israel. Let’s explore the aspects that led to this assessment.
First, this wall is seen as a step that significantly hinders the mobility of the Palestinian population. Most of this wall does not follow the official boundary between Israel and the West Bank, but stretches deep into Palestinian territory. The construction of this wall causes severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinians, including in daily activities such as going to school, work, or the family home.
Second, the economic impact of this wall is felt by the Palestinian people. Wall construction often involves land expropriation and population concentration, which can harm the livelihoods of local residents. Access to economic resources, markets, and employment opportunities can also be negatively affected, creating deep economic inequalities.
Third, this wall has also been criticized for creating a situation of alienation and isolation for several Palestinian territories. Several villages and towns in the West Bank have become surrounded by Israeli walls and settlements, creating a feeling of imprisonment and uncertainty among local residents
Many observers and human rights groups consider the wall to be a disproportionate form of control and a violation of human rights. They argue that more effective and proportionate security measures should be pursued without harming the basic rights of the Palestinian population. The Apartheid Walls in Bethlehem and Hebron, in the view of many, represent a physical expression of the inequality and injustice that persists in this conflict.
Imagine if Jesus were alive today and faced the abomination of the apartheid system in Israel, confined within the limitations and violence of checkpoints when he needed to go to Jerusalem. He, who in his teachings emphasized love, peace, and justice, may have felt deep pain and injustice. Such a situation may have made him sympathize with the suffering of the Palestinian people, considering that Jesus himself was born in an area that is now part of this long conflict. Perhaps, he will try to spread a message of peace and justice, inviting all parties to find solutions that respect human rights and religious freedom.
under the Israeli illegal settler.
If Jesus/ Phophet Isa and his mother Maria were still alive, it is certain that he would have to suffer behind the apartheid wall built by Israel and at any time they would receive 24/7 terror, passing through checkpoints for hours with violence by the IDF to go to pray in Jerusalem and might also be pelted with stones. and rubbish by illegal settlers who live above so he had to build an iron net to hold large rocks and rubbish.
We also wondering, how would he feel if he returned and found out that most of his people supported the people who destroyed his land, thanking Israel for selling the Bible at a cheap price even though it is written in the Bible and the Koran that it is forbidden to sell God’s books at a cheap price , and donated the money to destroy the holy land.
The world often categorizes the Arab-Israeli conflict as a battle that only revolves around religious differences, with Islam on one side and Jews on the other.
However, amidst the historical and political complexity that surrounds this region, there are voices that are often forgotten, namely the voices of the Christian community that has long inhabited Bethlehem.
For Christians, Palestine has a historical value that is very close to Jesus. Bethlehem is the place of His birth, while on Golgotha Hill, Jerusalem, He was crucified and buried. However, currently, these sites are separated by a boundary wall that separates Israel and Palestine. In this Holy Land, Christians and Muslims live together, confined, limited and not free. Surrounded by huge walls, military checkpoints and illegal settlements. Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and the demographic changes it has caused have had a significant impact and have influenced the daily lives of Christian communities and how they seek to preserve their religious and cultural heritage amidst the stress of prolonged conflict. “By implementing a control system (like that), I believe Jesus is very familiar with it. I see Jesus as part of the Palestinian Jews. If Jesus were born today, I am sure he would be born on our side of life, because Jesus was also born (at Bethlehem) under the occupation of the Roman Empire. "Even if Jesus wanted to go to Jerusalem, he also had to have permission and pass through a checkpoint," said Munther Isaac, describing how Christians lived there. Munther Isaac is an Orthodox Christian Pastor and also the dean of Bethlehem Bible College in Bethlehem, Palestine. "Like the Palestinian people, we (Palestinian Christians) also live under Israeli oppression," he concluded, quoted from Aljazeera.
Therefore, since the past seven decades, the proportion of Christian residents in Bethlehem has continued to decline. In the early 1950s, about 80% of the city’s population was Christian. However, recent estimates indicate that the proportion of Christians in the city is only about 12% today. "This is a big problem, if so, one day the (Christian) Holy City will have no Christian population," said Daoud Nassar, a Palestinian Christian. There, Palestinian Christians often become a class of society, whose lives can be restricted by Israel whenever they want. In fact, it is not uncommon for Palestinian Christians to be prohibited from entering their churches and not allowed to visit the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem, where the Holy Sepulchre is always open at any time to pilgrims from anywhere, as long as they are not Palestinian.
“They treat us as Palestinians, not Christians. Not us as Christians, but us as Palestinians. We as Christians also have many restrictions like Palestinians (in general). We cannot move freely from Bethlehem to Jerusalem. "We cannot govern our city freely because this is a Palestinian city," explained Pastor Mitri Raheb from the Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church, as reported by Tirto. “Certainly, Christians also feel the same way (with Muslims). We are both affected by Israel’s occupation efforts. Many Christians are detained in Israeli prisons. Many Palestinian Christians have suffered and been killed because of this prolonged conflict.” Amid movement restrictions, illegal settlements and uncertainty, Christian communities there continue to struggle to maintain the identity of their religious heritage and land. They face the challenge of maintaining their presence on land that has such deep historical significance. When we look at the story of the Christian community in Palestine, we must reflect that their struggle is a reflection of the struggle of Palestinian society in general. They fought for their freedom of movement, the right to celebrate their religion and their identity as an independent people in Palestine.
This fact tells a very deep sadness for Palestinian Christians. Their sad story did not receive widespread attention, and was even forgotten. However, their suffering is no less painful than that experienced by Muslims.
In fact, Israel and the Western world often form narratives of conflict and clashes between Muslim and Christian groups in Palestine, but these narratives always fail. Relations between the Palestinian Muslim and Christian communities are very strong. Both of them work together to oppose Israeli colonialism and try as hard as possible to realize Palestinian independence. In every critical event, both Muslims and Christians in Palestine always work together, working together to fight against Israel’s discriminatory policies.
The most recent is the policy of Trump and Netanyahu who want to move the capital of Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Palestinian Christians strongly oppose Trump’s policy, because it will impact the fate of Christians in East Jerusalem. When Israel made a policy to install scanners at the entrance to the al-Aqsa Mosque, Palestinian Christians joined in opposing the policy because they considered it contrary to Muslims' right to freedom of worship. Christians took to the streets to oppose Israeli policies. When Muslims perform Friday prayers, it is Christians who guard and protect Muslim citizens from the brutal actions of the Israeli army
Palestinian Muslims realize that Palestine is the birthplace of Jesus. It was from Palestine that Christian teachings were spread throughout the world. In every Christmas commemoration, Muslims always celebrate Christmas together with Christians in almost all Palestinian churches. In fact, Mahmoud Abbas always attends Christmas celebrations at Bethlehem Church. On the other hand, Christians also realize that Jerusalem is a holy city for Muslims, because the Prophet Muhammad SAW made the Isra' and Mi’raj journey from the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem to Sidratul Muntaha. Likewise, when Jerusalem fell under Islamic rule, Umar bin Khattab respected the existence of the church and Christians in Palestine. This awareness of history and the importance of tolerance is what makes the relationship between Muslims and Palestinian Christians so amazing.
In fact, we have never heard of friction between these two communities. It is said that Muslims are trusted to hold the keys to the Church of the Tomb of Christ in Jerusalem to avoid conflict between various Christian denominations over the historic church.
Therefore, this scene can actually make us realize that the Palestinian problem is not a matter of a particular religious struggle, but the struggle of a nation to gain sovereignty and independence. Israel often makes religious rhetoric and Antisemitics in this regard. Fighting for Palestinian independence is fighting for all citizens and groups that exist in Palestine. In fact, Muslims and Christians often receive the same discriminatory treatment by Israel, which is why they together oppose Israel.
FREE PALESTINE — From the Jordan River into the Mediterranean sea, Palestine will be free.
Writer:
Prakusa • Danial Martin
