Certain myths are recycled each year, and one such propagated by the Palestinians this Christmas is that the historical ‘Jesus was a Palestinian living under occupation.’ In the midst of various claims asserting that Jesus Christ was a Palestinian living under occupation, it becomes imperative to address the dangerous erasure of his Jewish heritage. This narrative, often propagated by some as a means of supporting the Palestinian cause, dismisses the historical reality that Jesus was unequivocally a Jew. Rather than an anthropological defense, in this article, I will explore the implications of the social and political aspects of these outrageous claims, the historical inaccuracies they present, and the dangers of perpetuating such distorted narratives.
Understanding Genocide: Overview of Islamic Persecutions
To grasp the seriousness of the issue, it is crucial to delve into the concept of genocide. Consider the Islamic genocide of Christian Armenians in the Ottoman Empire during WWI, drawing parallels with the present actions of the Islamic State and other jihadist groups. The Ottoman Empire, a historic Muslim caliphate, attempted to cleanse its empire of Christian minorities (Armenians, Assyrians, and Greeks) a hundred years ago, and hostilities still continue until this day.
A “fatwa” issued during WWI declared a “sacred duty” for Muslims to “massacre” Christian infidels by brutal methods, including crucifixions, beheadings, torture, rape, enslavement, and mass killings, with specific figures mentioned for Armenians and mentions of Greeks and Assyrians. Justifying it with Quranic verses emphasizing enmity towards non-Muslims – many Muslims don’t subscribe to this.
The Islamization of Armenians was a systematic state policy involving bureaucracy, police, and clergy. Confiscation of Armenian properties aimed to destroy the bourgeoisie and create a Turkish-Muslim middle class. The idea presented as “war” or “resistants” serves only as a pretext for jihadist actions, and examples are cited from Iraq, Libya, Syria, and Nigeria where Christian minorities suffered under jihadi elements. We see the same atrocities committed against Israel during the Oct 7th massacre by Hamas.
So, the term genocide extends beyond mass murder; it encapsulates any attempt to make a people disappear, to erase every trace of their existence, such as the genocidal chant: “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” The Nazi regime’s destruction of Torah scrolls and Jewish prayer books in the Netherlands during the Holocaust serves as a stark example of genocidal acts. The Post–Cold War era witnesses widespread persecution of Christians globally in Arab and Islamic nations, with severe cases in Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Pakistan, and others. These notably serve as stark examples of genocidal acts.
Drawing parallels between these historical atrocities among both Jew and Christian and the denial of Jesus’ Jewish identity is a contentious assertion. However, when some “supporters of the Palestinians” reinvent this false narrative, claiming that “Jesus was a Palestinian living under occupation,” they committing genocide, which raises serious concerns.
“Woke” Islamism: The Intersection of Ideologies
The claim that Jesus was not Jewish but Palestinian has gained traction, particularly among left-wing radical students from both Islamist and wokeist backgrounds.
This new evolving generation tactically uses “Woke” Islamism, where young activists with Western backgrounds align themselves with progressive ideologies using intersectionality, anti-colonial rhetoric, anti-white supremist rhetoric sympathy, and framing issues such as Islamophobia. The aim is to build alliances, wield influence, unsettle, and undermine the Judaeo-Christian worldview through the subtle propagation of genocidal narratives.
Never mind that the only occupation involves Jews, Muslims, and Christians living under the rule of terrorist autocrats like Iran, who exploit their constituents, harbour animosity toward Jews and the West, and even towards their own people.
The danger lies in this narrative’s potential to resonate with past attempts to erase Judaeo Christian identity.
As much as Christmas, particularly becomes a stage for ‘friends of Palestinians’ and extremist groups, to rehearse the misleading assertion that “Jesus was Palestinian” living under occupation.
If these claims conveniently overlook the historical reality that Jesus, unequivocally, was a Jew who lived under Roman occupation, which is clearly a deliberate distortion of historical facts for ideological or political purposes. This is a disconcerting trend that demands scrutiny. It becomes imperative to address and correct these distortions. Jesus’ Jewish heritage is an undeniable historical fact and dismissing it in favour of a Palestinian narrative serves only to erode his authenticity.
By scrutinizing and challenging such assertions, we can preserve the integrity of historical truths and resist the manipulation of narratives for ideological gains.
Occupation Realities and Historical Inaccuracies: Reassessing Claims
Contrary to the claims, the narrative of occupation in Israel and the Jewish West Bank lacks historical accuracy. In Israel proper and the Jewish West Bank, there is total equality and no occupation at all. An owner cannot be an occupier of his land.
Assertions that Jesus was a Palestinian living under occupation negate the truth that he was a Jew during the time of Roman rule. This predates the birth of Islam’s founder, Prophet Mohammed, by centuries. The danger in perpetuating such narratives lies not only in their historical inaccuracy but in their potential to further fuel misunderstanding and conflict.
Dangers of Distorted Narratives: Beyond Theological Debates
The dangers of distorted narratives extend beyond theological debates; they risk veering away from an honest dialogue on the Middle East conflict.
By misrepresenting historical facts…
these narratives cloud the understanding of an already complex geopolitical and religious dynamics.
Jesus would be a hostage [of Chamas] in Gaza if he was alive today, said a French Catholic Priest who pioneered Holocaust research. It’s not uncommon to have religious leaders abuse their position to spread hatred, but all serious religion (if Christianity could be classified as one) themselves call for peace and respect.
Jesus would be a hostage [of Chamas] in Gaza if he was alive today.
French Catholic Priest
Clearing the Air: Framing the Middle East Conflict
For people who prioritize honesty, words matter, and especially here, we must use the right terms. At the heart of the conflict lies an issue of Jew-hatred and framing it otherwise may inadvertently contribute to harmful narratives of denial. By emphasizing the importance of clear terminology, we can foster more honest discussions and avoid oversimplification.
- If you use Israeli vs. Palestinian, you pretend the problem is nationalistic. The solution is a Two-State Solution. No more than 5% of Israelis think so. The majority of Jews are willing to live alongside Gazans. Albeit more than 70% of Gazans support the genocidal narrative of the Jews and complete destruction of the State of Israel.
- If you use Arab vs. Israeli, you ignore the vast majority of Arab Gentiles (non-Jews) in Israel who identify foremost as Israeli.
- If you use Arab vs. Jewish, you ignore the majority of Jews in Israel who are Arab (Jews originating in the Arab world), which is racist.
The real and truthful terms, like it or not, are Muslims and Jews. The main problem between them is one of Jews-hatred.
Not the other way around…
Peace cannot be possible if Muslims continue to brainwash their children to believe that Jews and the West are the quintessentially evil. Israel and the Jews are referred to as “enemies of Islam,” and are blamed for poisoning the Prophet Muhammad. Encouraging girls and boys to sacrifice their lives in the name of religion appears to be a central goal in their curriculum (see: “Ideological Indoctrination Commissioner for the West Gaza district.”).
When you frame the Middle East conflict differently from Gentile Antisemitism vs. the Jews, you’re colluding with and firming Jews-hatred.
