Senior Fatah leader insists Christmas is a ‘Palestinian symbol,’ ‘Jesus was first Palestinian’

For years, the Palestinian Authority and Fatah have presented Jesus as a Palestinian as part of its fabricating an ancient Palestinian history.

This year was no exception. On the occasion of Christmas, a top Fatah official spoke of Jesus as “the first Palestinian” and “Christmas is one of the permanent Palestinian symbols.”

In their historical revision, the P.A. and Fatah ignore that Jesus was a Jew (“Judean”) according to Christian tradition, and that the Roman Empire changed the name of the land Judea into “Palestine” only 100 years after Jesus lived.

In spite of the dishonesty, senior P.A. and Fatah leaders have consistently presented Jesus and his mother Mary as Palestinians, and Jesus as “the first Palestinian martyr” and the first Palestinian refugee, as documented by Palestinian Media Watch.

The following is a statement from PLO executive committee member and Fatah Central Committee member Azzam Al-Ahmad yesterday at Khan Al-Ahmar, a site where Palestinian Bedouins have illegally erected buildings and dwellings.

“The lighting of the Christmas tree each year has many meanings in Palestine. ... Christmas is one of the permanent Palestinian symbols, and the whole world follows Mass in Bethlehem ...

“The children of Khan Al-Ahmar are happy about the lighting of this tree, as it is the symbol of the first Palestinian, Jesus, peace be upon him. We, the members of the Palestinian people, are celebrating Christmas together with everyone in the land of Palestine.”

The same false claims about Jesus were repeated by Secretary-General of the National Initiative [and P.A. Parliament member] Mustafa Barghouti:

“Jesus, who was born on this land, was a Palestinian and defeated his suffering.” [Official P.A. daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Dec. 20, 2018]

Full report at PMW.