(FrontPage Magazine) Christmas is coming, which means that it’s time for the red-green alliance to capitalize on the holidays to push Islamic terrorist propaganda.

Bethlehem used to be a Christian town. Then, as has happened throughout the Middle East, Muslims pushed out the Christians, swamped them and took over while leaving just enough of a Christian façade to employ as human shields.

And so here we go.

• Bethlehem Christmas tree lights up for first time since start of Gaza war – BBC
• Christmas celebrations return to Bethlehem after 2 years of war in Gaza – AP News
• Christmas cheer returns to Bethlehem after a two-year pause caused by the war in Gaza – Toronto Star

What does the “war in Gaza” have to do with Bethlehem, which isn’t in Gaza? How did that war prevent the tree from being lit?

The propaganda counts on most people not knowing where Gaza and Bethlehem are relative to each other, and assuming that there was a war there too. And this kind of propaganda that has worked really well so far.

Read further and there’s a brief mention that the cancelation was a decision made by the “municipality,” but you really have to dig and find a 2024 story to learn that it was a specific move to support Hamas.

For the second straight year, Bethlehem’s Christmas celebrations will be somber and muted, in deference to ongoing war in Gaza. There will be no giant Christmas tree in Manger Square, no raucous scout marching bands, no public lights twinkling and very few public decorations or displays.

Canceling Christmas festivities is one way to draw attention to the difficult situation in Bethlehem and across the Palestinian territories, said Salman. “This year we want to show the world that the Palestinian people are still suffering and they haven’t the joy that everybody else in the world having,” Mayor Anton Salman said.

Last year, PLO terror forces appeared to be specifically intimidating attendees.

Palestinian security forces deployed around the Church of the Nativity in the West Bank holy city of Bethlehem on Tuesday, as the faithful prepared for another solemn Christmas overshadowed by the war in Gaza.

Security forces arranged barriers near the Church of the Nativity, built atop the spot where Jesus is believed to have been born.

Traditionally, a grand Christmas tree would light up Manger Square, but local authorities opted against elaborate celebrations for a second year.

“This year we limited our joy,” Bethlehem mayor Anton Salman told AFP.

“We want to focus on the Palestinian reality and show the world that Palestine is still suffering from the Israeli occupation, still suffering from the injustice.”

What none of the stories mention is that Bethlehem was taken over by Muslims a while back.

In 1950, Bethlehem and the surrounding villages were 86% Christian. By 2017, Bethlehem’s Christian population had dwindled to 10%.

So Muslims took over Bethlehem, forced Christmas to be canceled to support Hamas, and now that Hamas is back in charge in Gaza, allowed the lights to be turned back on.

And the media reports this as … Bethlehem Christmas tree lights up for first time since start of Gaza war.

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