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Photo of baby Jesus on a keffiyeh featured in Vatican nativity scene

The pre-Christmas inauguration of “Nativity of Bethlehem 2024" comes just weeks after the Catholic leader called for an international investigation to determine if Israel’s actions in its war against Hamas in Gaza constituted genocide.

Dec. 8, 2024
JNS Staff

Photo of baby Jesus on a keffiyeh featured in Vatican nativity scene

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Baby Jesus displayed on a keffiyeh, gifted by the Palestinian Higher Committee of Churches Affairs, as part of the “Nativity of Bethlehem 2024” during its inauguration in the Paul VI Hall, during a private audience to donors of the Nativity Scene and the lighting of the Christmas tree ceremony at St. Peter's Square in the Paul-VI hall at the Vatican on Dec. 7, 2024. Photo by Andreas Solaro/AFP via Getty Images.
Baby Jesus displayed on a keffiyeh, gifted by the Palestinian Higher Committee of Churches Affairs, as part of the “Nativity of Bethlehem 2024” during its inauguration in the Paul VI Hall, during a private audience to donors of the Nativity Scene and the lighting of the Christmas tree ceremony at St. Peter’s Square in the Paul-VI hall at the Vatican on Dec. 7, 2024. Photo by Andreas Solaro/AFP via Getty Images.

A nativity scene that went on display at the Vatican on Saturday features a photo of the infant Jesus on a keffiyeh.

The traditional Arab scarf has been adopted by Palestinians as a symbol of their national aspirations. The image comes at a time when a revisionist Palestinian narrative has set in whereby Jesus is a Palestinian.

The photograph was presented to the Vatican by representatives from the Embassy of the State of Palestine to the Holy See on the inauguration of the “Nativity of Bethlehem 2024,” displayed in the Paul VI Hall, Vatican News reported.

The pre-Christmas event came just weeks after the Catholic leader called for an international investigation to determine if Israel’s actions in its war against Hamas in Gaza constituted genocide.

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