In this mailing: Raymond Ibrahim: The Death of Christianity in Bethlehem Amir Taheri: Ukraine: A Recipe for Appeasement Very Merriest Christmas and Happiest Winter Holidays! The Death of Christianity in Bethlehem by Raymond Ibrahim  •  December 25, 2022 at 5:00 am       "The systematic persecution of Christian Arabs living in Palestinian areas is being met with nearly total silence by the international community, human rights activists, the media and NGOs." – Justus Reid Weiner, International Christian Embassy, Jerusalem, Israel, August 20, 2013 "There are incidents happening constantly...Most times, it is a case of the Muslim community overpowering the minority, which is the Christian community." – Christian Arab on condition of anonymity, Israel365News, November 21, 2022 "[T]he leaders of the Christian community in the West Bank are reluctant to hold the Palestinian Authority and their Muslim neighbors responsible for the attacks. They are afraid of retribution and prefer to toe the official line of holding Israel solely responsible for the misery of the Christian minority." – Khaled Abu Toameh, Gatestone Institute, October 31, 2022 "The only thing that interests the PA is that events of this kind not be leaked to the media. Fatah regularly exerts heavy pressure on Christians not to report the acts of violence and vandalism from which they frequently suffer, as such publicity could damage the PA's image as an actor capable of protecting the lives and property of the Christian minority under its rule. Even less does the PA want to be depicted as a radical entity that persecutes religious minorities. That image could have negative repercussions for the massive international, and particularly European, aid the PA receives." -- Dr Edy Cohen, "The Persecution of Christians in the Palestinian Authority", besacenter.org, May 27, 2019 "The fact that the Palestinian Authority continues to make sure that there is a Christian mayor in Bethlehem is only window dressing,... It's a show used to convince the world that Bethlehem, the birthplace of Christianity is still a Christian town. It is not Christian. It is Muslim in every regard." -- Rabbi Pesach Wolicki, Director of the Center for Jewish-Christian Understanding and Cooperation, Israel 365 News, November 21, 2022 As we approach Christmas, 2022, it is important to remember that, due to ongoing but silenced persecution, Christianity is on the verge of disappearing in the place of its birth—Bethlehem, the scene of the Nativity. It is a silence that gives the Christmas song "Silent Night," an ominous meaning. "The persecution is threatening the existence of the oldest Christian community in the world." – Isrsel365News, November 21, 2002 Why is the persecution of Christians in Bethlehem and other areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority so unreported or under-reported? "The attacks by Muslims on Christians are often ignored by the international community and media, who seem to speak out only when they can find a way to blame Israel," according to journalist Khaled Abu Toameh. Pictured: The Church of the Nativity in the Bethlehem. (Photo by Hazem Bader/AFP via Getty Images) After noting that there "has been a marked uptick in religiously motivated attacks by Palestinian Muslims on Christians in Bethlehem," a report from November 21 offers these examples: "Just over two weeks ago, a Muslim man was accused of harassing young Christian women at a Forefathers Orthodox Church in Beit Sahour near the city of Bethlehem. Soon after, the church was attacked by a large mob of Palestinian men who hurled rocks at the building while congregants cowered inside. Several of the congregants were injured in the attack. The Palestinian Authority, responsible for security in the area, did nothing. In October, unidentified gunmen shot at the Christian-owned Bethlehem Hotel after a video on social media associated the hotel with a display that included cardboard cutouts of a Star of David and a Menorah. ... No arrests were made in connection with the shooting. Continue Reading Article