Christians in Jerusalem celebrate Christmas amid occupation restrictions
Kanaan described Jerusalem as “caught between the hammer of occupation and the anvil of displacement, Israeliisation, arrests, and repeated raids.” He emphasized that the occupation does not differentiate between Christians and Muslims, and all holy sites face persecution and restrictions. The Christian population in Palestine has sharply declined, from around 150,000 in 1948 to approximately 45,000 today.
He highlighted that the occupation views the Christian presence in Jerusalem as a bridge conveying the Palestinian narrative to the West and seeks to weaken it through distorted facts and a false Zionist narrative. Christians face significant economic burdens, including heavy taxes on churches, freezing of bank accounts, seizure of properties, and targeted actions by settlement groups like Ateret Cohanim, which claim disputes over ownership of Christian endowment properties.
Kanaan drew attention to policies that hinder Christian worship, such as complex permit requirements limiting access mainly to the elderly, military checkpoints, arbitrary arrests, restrictions on West Bank Christians entering the city, and harassment by settlers in the Old City.
Meanwhile, settlers enjoy unrestricted access to their sites during holidays.
He stressed that freedom of worship and celebration of religious holidays, protected under international law, UN resolutions, and religious scriptures, remain absent under the occupation.
Kanaan reaffirmed Jordan’s commitment, both by its leadership and people, to safeguarding the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem and supporting its residents despite ongoing challenges.
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