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Three Palestinians were arrested connected accusations of lighting a Christmas character connected occurrence and damaging portion of a Nativity segment astatine a Catholic church successful nan Israeli-occupied West Bank metropolis of Jenin, nan Palestinian Authority Police announced.
The onslaught happened astatine astir 3 a.m. Monday, according to nan church.
Palestinian Authority Police said Wednesday nan 3 were taken into custody aft a reappraisal of surveillance footage targeting nan Holy Redeemer Church of Jenin. Tools believed to person been utilized successful nan onslaught were seized from nan suspects.
Police condemned nan evident effort to incite sectarian and belief tensions successful nan West Bank.
CHRISTMAS RETURNS TO HOLY LAND CITIES AS BETHLEHEM'S CHRISTIAN POPULATION DWINDLES, NAZARETH REMAINS STRONG
Palestinian parishioners cheque a precocious installed Christmas character aft nan erstwhile 1 was destroyed astatine nan Holy Redeemer Latin Church successful nan West Bank municipality of Jenin Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025. (AP)
The religion shared photos connected societal media showing nan skeleton of a synthetic Christmas character that had been cleared of nan greenish integrative branches, and reddish and golden ornaments were scattered crossed a courtyard.
The torched character was quickly cleaned up by nan church, which erected a caller 1 a time aft nan onslaught successful clip for Christmas Mass.
The religion held a typical ceremonial pinch section Muslim and Christian leaders and politicians successful attendance. Rev. Amer Jubran, nan section leader astatine nan church, said nan arson was an isolated incident and emphasized nan city’s unity.
"This juncture reaffirmed that attempts to harm belief symbols will ne'er diminish nan tone of nan metropolis nor nan religion of its people," nan Holy Redeemer Church said successful a statement.
Palestinian Authority Police said nan trio was taken into custody aft a reappraisal of surveillance footage. (Getty Images)
The mini Christian organization successful nan West Bank is facing expanding threats of extremism from various sides, including some Israeli settlers and Palestinian extremists, prompting them to flight nan region.
Christians dress up betwixt 1-2% of nan West Bank’s astir 3 cardinal residents, and nan immense mostly of nan organization is Muslim. Across nan full Middle East, nan Christian organization has been declining arsenic group person fled conflict.
In Israel, immoderate religion authorities and monitoring groups person documented a caller uptick successful anti-Christian sentiment and harassment, including successful Jerusalem’s Old City. Extremist Israeli settlers person besides reportedly vandalized and torched areas astir churches and Christian villages.
POPE LEO XIV DELIVERS FIRST CHRISTMAS CALLING FOR END TO VIOLENCE IN MIDDLE EAST, RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR
Police condemned nan evident effort to incite sectarian and belief tensions successful nan West Bank. (Getty Images)
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The Israel-Hamas war successful Gaza kicked disconnected a surge of unit successful nan West Bank, pinch nan Israeli military's violative targeting terrorists sidesplitting hundreds of Palestinians and displacing tens of thousands. Terrorists person besides attacked and killed Israelis successful Israel and nan West Bank.
The conflict has coincided pinch an summation successful Israeli settler unit and Palestinian attacks connected Israelis.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
