Christmas must have no doubt felt different in the Holy Land this year for sure, and it's all Hamas' fault. It was less than three months ago that Hamas perpetrated its attack against Israel, resulting in the death of 1,200 Israelis. It was the bloodiest day in the country's history which saw the death of the most Jews since the Holocaust. Progressives, including and especially members of the Squad, have politicized Christmas to share their views on the Israel-Hamas war, though they've mixed up their geography in the process of such terrible takes.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), as Nick Arama at our sister site of RedState highlighted, had a pretty bad take in her Instagram story shared on Christmas Eve not merely involving geography, but also on the overall context. The Forward's Jacob N. Kornbluth luckily took a screenshot he shared to his X account.
AOC describes Israel as a ‘violent right wing occupying force’ in Christmas post. No mention of Hamas terror, the victims of Oct. 7 attack. pic.twitter.com/oajJnYLAOF
— Jacob N. Kornbluh (@jacobkornbluh) December 24, 2023
The story showed a picture of a Nativity scene lying in rubble. Jesus is shown prominently wrapped in a keffiyeh. As if the image alone weren't strong enough, there's a whole lot of text, mostly in English, but also some in Spanish.
"This nochebuena we pray for the peace and protection of the innocent in Gaza and the occupied territories," her post began in English, complete with praying hands emojis, a Palestinian flag, and a candle. There was, tellingly enough, no Israeli flag emojis in AOC's story. Her lengthy post continued and got even more ridiculous from there:
In the story of Christmas, Christ was born in modern-day Palestine under the threat of a government engaged in a massacre of innocents. He was part of a targeted population being indiscriminately killed to protect an unjust leader’s power. Mary and Joseph, displaced by violence and forced to flee, became refugees in Egypt with a newborn waiting to one day return home. Thousands of years later, right-wing forces are violently occupying Bethlehem as similar stories unfold for today’s Palestinians, so much so that the Christian community in Bethlehem has canceled this year’s Christmas Eve celebrations out of both safety and respect.
And yet, also today, holy children are still being born in a place of unspeakable violence — for every child born, of any identity and from any place, is sacred. Especially the children of Gaza.
The entire story of Christmas and Christ himself is about standing with the poor and powerless, the marginalized and maligned, the refugees and immigrants, the outcast and misunderstood without exception. This high Christian holiday is about honoring the precious sanctity of a family that, if the story were to unfold today, would be Jewish Palestinians.
Merry Christmas. May there be peace on Earth, amen.
As one can never remind AOC and her ilk enough, there is no "modern-day Palestine." Jesus and all baby boys under 2-years-old were targeted for slaughter because King Herod feared the birth of the King of the Jews, with a pretty heavy emphasis on the Jewish faith, there. Nick put that part particularly well, writing:
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Plus, the targeting of Jesus wasn't "indiscriminate." If you're targeting, it isn't "indiscriminate." According to the Gospel of Matthew, Herod assassinated the babies because he was trying to target the birth of the "King of the Jews." Herod used that title, and he wanted no challenge to his authority. Kind of a significant thing to miss — all the Jewishness there. Does AOC not know this, or is she just leaving it out because it doesn't help her point?
What follows, as AOC tries to get into geography for a modern-day application is also pretty ridiculous. It all goes back to this far-left, anti-Israel, antisemitic view on "right-wing forces" who are supposedly "violently occupying Bethlehem." At least that's one way of trying to understand what she's trying to say.
Nick offered another idea, asking "Does [AOC] think the Palestinian Authority that controls the area is 'right-wing,' or does she think Bethlehem is somehow in Gaza? It's in the West Bank."
It's also curious that AOC makes a point about "holy children." The Feast of the Holy Innocents is celebrated each year on December 28, to mourn those babies who died when Herod had them slaughtered. For today's application, there's a focus on the pro-life movement and abortion. And yet AOC is particularly pro-abortion. Every child is indeed "sacred," and that includes those not yet born, so AOC should spare us such a lecture.
It's also bold for AOC to be so set in her definition of the meaning of Christmas. And again, unborn babies are included in those "poor and powerless," AOC speaks about, especially since she makes a mention of "without exception." It's nice of her to make such a point about people Jesus indeed came to save and provide hope for, but Jesus was born as a baby to save all of humanity. He was Son of God and Son of Man, part of the trinity, but also human so that He could relate to those he came to save.
AOC's only one member of the Squad, though, and there were plenty of bad takes from other members as well.
Rep. Ilhan Omar's (D-MN) political account reposted Al Jazeera English about how Palestinian Christians will not be celebrating Christmas this year, and Bree Newsome, whose X handle is "END ALL COLONIALISM, FREE PALESTINE."
The post includes a clip shared over TikTok, a particularly anti-Israel platform, of Rev. Munther Isaac's sermon from December 23 as he brings up the Squad's favorite talking point about a ceasefire.
“My family is facing hell on Earth.”
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) December 24, 2023
Palestinian Christians say they will not celebrate Christmas as they grieve for the people killed in Israel's war on Gaza ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/uQt6fc62qc
“Gaza today has become the moral compass of the world… If you fail to call this a genocide, that’s on you. It is a sin & a darkness you willingly embrace. Some have not even called for a ceasefire— I’m talking about churches.”
— END ALL COLONIALISM, FREE PALESTINE (@BreeNewsome) December 24, 2023
Rev. Munther Isaac, preaching in Bethlehem 12/23 pic.twitter.com/kEqfjp0KFq
Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO) shared the entirety of Rev. Isaac's sermon from her political account, as her post also mentioned a ceasefire. Her post highlights Rev. Isaac's point that "if Jesus was to be born today, he would be born under the rubble in Gaza." It's certainly a clickbait kind of line for both the members of the Squad and those sympathetic media outlets to shout with exuberance, but again, Jesus was born in Bethlehem.
Rev. Issac also showcased the Nativity scene in debris, with Jesus wrapped in the keffiyeh.
Another repost from Bush referenced Palestinian Christians calling for a ceasefire.
“…Jesus is under the rubble.”
— Cori Bush (@CoriBush) December 25, 2023
“They [U.S.] sent us bombs while celebrating Christmas in their land.”
Let your ‘Merry Christmas’ be your call for a #CeasefireNOW https://t.co/tH3mhFPLIo
The traditional Christmas Eve procession of the Catholic Patriarch of Jerusalem to Bethlehem. Usually celebratory and accompanied by Christmas carols. This year it was silent and local Palestinian Christians carried banners supporting Gaza and calling for ceasefire pic.twitter.com/v8B1FuFDbB
— Ghanem Nuseibeh (@gnuseibeh) December 24, 2023
Rep. Summer Lee (D-PA) not only shared Bush's post about Rev. Isaac's sermon, but her own message appropriated the Christmas holiday to demand a ceasefire. She even claimed that Christmas "strengthened" her resolve for a ceasefire, complete with "#CeasefireNOW."
On this Christmas, as we watch in real time families destroyed, ancient churches destroyed & the birthplace of the Christ we celebrate today besieged, my resolve to fight for a lasting peace, justice + #CeasefireNOW is strengthened. I hope yours is too.
— Summer Lee (@SummerForPA) December 25, 2023
Peace to all.
It's not just members of the Squad, though, who have an issue with geography. As our sister site of Twitchy covered, CNN's Christopher Lamb posted on Christmas Eve that "If Jesus were born today he would be born in Gaza under the rubble."
The post was deleted, but screenshots remain and the post was hit with plenty of replies and quoted reposts while still up, including from Spencer. Lamb is CNN's Vatican Correspondent, but even those who received a Jewish education, as superintendent and Newsweek contributor Joel M. Petlin did, know their geography.
Spencer covered on Monday how Hamas has rejected a ceasefire agreement. All of those who are calling for a ceasefire should take it up with Hamas, then. Fittingly, "Blame Hamas" is trending on X on Tuesday.
Can someone buy CNN a map of the Holy Land? pic.twitter.com/WrkpBJlB0c
— Spencer Brown (@itsSpencerBrown) December 24, 2023
Christopher Lamb is the Vatican correspondent for @CNN, and he doesn't seem to know where Jesus was born.
— Joel M. Petlin (@Joelmpetlin) December 24, 2023
I went to Yeshiva for most of my education, and EVEN I KNOW where he was born...and it wasn't in Gaza. pic.twitter.com/1Na6ykuOSt
