Israel’s Government Declares War on Christmas
The War on Christmas continues—in Israel. According to the Associated Press, the speaker of Israel’s parliament rejected a request from Hana Sweid, a Christian-Arab Knesset member, to display a Christmas tree at the legislature’s building. The speaker, Yuli Edelstein of the center-right Likud party, initially cited logistical issues, but clarified today that he specifically denied the request because the Christmas tree threatened to offend the country’s majority Jewish population:
Edelstein told Israel Radio Thursday such a public display of a Christian symbol could be construed as offensive. Jews have suffered from centuries of persecution by Christians. [...] Edelstein says the initiative is part of an Arab campaign to chip away at Israel’s Jewish nature. He warned that if he had agreed he would then likely face further requests to display a cross and crescent in parliament.
