Israeli officials fear the pope’s vocal criticisms and symbolic gestures - such as this year’s nativity scene in St Peter’s Square featuring baby Jesus resting on a Palestinian keffiyeh - may influence global public opinion.
Created by Bethlehem artists Johny Andonia and Faten Nastas Mitwasi, the nativity scene prominently features Palestinian materials, including olive wood, a symbol of Palestinian resilience.
During its unveiling, Pope Francis condemned the global arms industry for profiting from human suffering and reiterated his call for an end to all wars, urging the faithful to remember those suffering in the holy land.
The display, praised by many as a message of solidarity and peace, drew backlash from Israel’s supporters, who accused the Vatican of promoting a pro-Palestinian agenda.
I do think it’s a bit more subtle than that. Throughout history people of all faiths, including Jews, Christians and Muslims and of various nations including Arabs, Kurds, Turks and Persians, have made the Middle East their home. The overall division of land at this moment implies that only a tiny slice goes to the Jews. I think realistically after WWII the parties could have come together to discuss independence from the UK in conjunction with a slice of land for the Jews.
Of course, what happened instead was that the English gave land that was highly contested by all to the Jews, without any attempt at asking the opinion of the people living there.
Yes, that was the demographic makeup of what is now Israel for thousands of years prior to the creation of Israel as a religious ethnostate…
It’s only a tiny slice when talking about the entire Middle East…
But even then, it’s an area where only Jewish people have full rights and can vote for political leaders…
How many countries in the Middle East can only Christians vote for political leaders?
Seriously…
Why does there have to be religious ethnostates at all?
Your entire argument is based on religious ethnistates having to exist, but they just fucking don’t.
No country should require any religious determination to be able to vote for political leader.
Why not give the indigenous people autonomy after WW1 when the Ottoman empire was dissolved?
Why give it European immigrants?
Which is a clear recipe for disaster.