As the holiday season kicked off, Santa Claus was spotted strolling through the streets of Jerusalem, spreading festive cheer and joy, delighting locals with his seasonal greetings.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wished Christians worldwide a Merry Christmas, noting that while the Christian population is shrinking under the Palestinian Authority, it is growing in Israel.
Nearly every December, Palestinians dressed as Santa Claus join clashes with the Israeli military, as part of violent organized demonstrations that are virtually guaranteed to garner international media coverage.
An effort to appropriate the holidays in order to delegitimize Israel denies Jewish history and ignores the truth about the fate of the Christian minority in Arab lands.
The IDF is expanding the number of travel permits it is issuing to Gazans ahead of Christmas, enabling them to travel to Jerusalem and Bethlehem for the holiday.
This year was no exception. A top Fatah official spoke of Jesus as 'the first Palestinian,' claiming 'Christmas is one of the permanent Palestinian symbols.'
The Muslim mayor of Nazareth expressed outrage over the US' decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital by cancelling Christmas 'artistic performances' in the Christian holy site.
The "Holidays of Holidays" is an event that takes place in Haifa, Israel's 3rd largest metropolis, and which celebrates Israel's religious and ethnic diversity.