Christmas Carols A Security Threat

By Daoud Kuttab

Danny Qumsieh has been working hard this Christmas season to raise money so that Bethlehem?s only local radio station can continue in its tradition of covering the holiday events. As manager of the radio station he was frustrated that he was unable to find commercial sponsors because of the devastating economic situation due to the Israeli reoccupation of the city. So he turned to NGOs and Christian organizations asking if they would agree to financial underwrite the radio?s important work. Just when he felt confident that the station will be able to go ahead with the coverage, an unexpected turn of events occurred. Israeli soldiers decided on December 23 to take over the building housing the station. The staff of the radio station and the entire building was evacuated and the station had to go off the air.

For seven years now, Radio Bethlehem 2000 has provided live audio coverage of the traditional Christmas Eve parade, Christmas Eve Carols from Manger Square and Midnight Mass from the birth-place of Jesus Christ. I should know. I was there when we first started this radio tradition in the Christmas of 1996.

Along with three other Palestinians we started this radio station after the Israeli army exited the city and the Palestinian Authority welcomed radio license requests. Cell phones had been new at the time but we were able to convert roving journalists into live broadcasters using them. That first Christmas eve was so special. Radio is a great medium to create atmosphere. I remember walking around in Bethlehem and you can follow Christmas carols sung by the famous Lebanese singer Fairuz from shops and stores who were all tuned in to our 89.6 frequency. We had been working non stop for nearly 24 hours when a delivery person brought us some food. I still remember a delicious shawerma sandwich delivered to our studios by a local restaurant who wanted to show support for what we were doing.

Covering the Latin Patriarch's parade was so important for the local community. For decades this Christmas eve parade has taken a tradition of its own. Different local community and church leaders meet the patriarch at predetermined positions on the route from Jerusalem to Bethlehem. The parade culminates at Manger Square. Our coverage that day and every Christmas since allowed the public to know precisely what was happening every step of the way. I vividly remember an old woman who called the station to thank us for the coverage saying that even though she has been unable to go out to see the Catholic bishop, our reporting helped her to feel as if she was there.

This memory has been brought back to me this Christmas, because of the insensitive Israeli act. The radio station located about three miles from the center of Bethlehem has no strategic advantage for the Israelis. It is in the valley below Bethlehem at the entrance of Beit Sahour, the traditional shepherds field. At 3:30 pm, on Decembe 23, soldiers arrived at the Arrart building that houses the radio station on its fourth floor and ordered everyone outside. No explanation was given.

Shutting down a voice of reason and joy. Cutting off a medium that plays Christmas Carols and tries to keep the holiday spirits despite the anger and destruction around seem totally crazy and insane.

Since November 22, Israeli soldiers reoccupied this Palestinians city for the 15th time since they evacuated it in Christmas of 1995. They entered the city because they said that a suicide bomber had come from the Bethlehem region. He was renting a home in the village of Khader south of Bethlehem. A 24 hour continuous curfew was placed on the city and its surroundings ever since. The curfew was eased a couple of times during an entire month.

A few days before Christmas, Israel announced that it was planning to ease the curfew and other travel restrictions to allow Bethlehem's Palestinian Christians to celebrate the Christmas. The radio station was beaming carols and announcing Christmas related events when this ugly act took place.

The entry and closure of the radio station was most probably decided by an officer who had no idea that a radio station was in the building or that it was playing Christmas carols. Sooner or later someone might or might not say that this was a mistake. After all he is a soldier who only cares for security. Such is the nature of a foreign military occupation. Certainly an occupying force is not responsible to care about the feelings of Palestinian Christians and Christians around the world who sing silent night and oh little town of Bethlehem.

Israeli stupidity, not withstanding, Palestinians will keep tuning in their radio and looking up in the heavens with the hope that they can one day see the angels carols song two thousand years ago to the shepherd become a reality. ?Glory to God in the Highest and on earth Peace.?

Daoud Kuttab Institute of Modern Media Al Quds University Ramallah, Palestine http://www.amin.org/eng/daoud_kuttab/index.html

Embittered Bethlehem Prepares for Bleakest Christmas
Sunday, December 22 2002 @ 10:55 PM GMT

"'I can't imagine celebrating anything. For one, we don't have money and what's more, we're psychologically battered after two years of death and wanton destruction .."

BETHLEHEM - On the wet morning of Sunday, December 22, Saint Catherine's church is filled with worshippers, but exiting the edifice they confessed this Christmas will be the "bleakest" of their lives.

"This will be the bleakest Christmas ever because we've been robbed of our freedom," said Johnny Babun, in his 40s, whose garage and car wash was razed by the Israeli army two years ago, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).

"We will find solace at the midnight mass, beyond that, there won't be any Christmas celebrations," he said, adding that "ironically we'll commemorate the birth of Christ, the man who embodies peace."

The church's Father Gianni, however, is confident Christmas celebrations will proceed uninterrupted.

"I think everything will go smoothly. I hope that our brothers from outside Bethlehem will be able to attend the procession and mass," he said.

"But we won't rejoice as we used to. The violence is such that it would be difficult. We shall find peace and comfort in our faith."

Raghida Sarsur told AFP that she only intended to pray this year: "I can't imagine celebrating anything. For one, we don't have money and what's more, we're psychologically battered after two years of death and wanton destruction."

Another Palestinian couple, Osama al-Zughbi and his wife Mira, said even their wedding last June was marred by the practices of Israeli occupation forces. "The army rolled in Bethlehem just as we were getting married," Osama recalled. "We have no life, no work how can we feel happy inside?" he wonders, adding that he hopes to find "inner peace during the Christmas prayers."

"We'll have dinner, just the two us. We don't even have a tree. Look, there are no decorations anywhere in Bethlehem, the municipality is broke and no one is in the mood for celebrating," adds Mira.

Nativity Church warden Father Ibrahim Faltas concurred: "This will be saddest Christmas ever celebrated in Bethlehem. We shall pray for peace but we won't celebrate beyond the traditional Christmas procession and mass."

He, too, said he does not anticipate any problem with the army, although the town has been under full Israeli control since late November, "I don't think there will be any problem. The army will not show up on Manger Square. Israeli troops will be around, but not visible," he said.

Israeli officials told AFP last week the army may temporarily withdraw from downtown Bethlehem on Christmas Day.

Israel's Good Image Only

Some among Bethlehem's overwhelmingly Muslim population are annoyed by the prospect of an unhindered Christmas.

"They did not withdraw or lift the curfew when it was our feast," says Elham Laham, referring to the Eid al-Fitr, celebrated earlier this month, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

"Israel is trying to create tensions between Muslims and Christians. They clearly favor them over us," adds Adballah Ibrahim, a neighbor.

But Jamal Salman, an administrator at Bethlehem's municipality, rebuffs the accusation: "We're all in the same boat, Christians and Muslims."

"Israel will lift the curfew and make its forces invisible on Christmas day, but it's not for us Christians, it's because the world's cameras will be focused on Bethlehem and Israel wants to project a good image of itself."

No Money for Christmas Gifts

Meanwhile, at Holy Land Oriental Souvenirs shop, Yussef is giving vent to his frustration after two years losing money: "We've lost 99 percent of our business. We only open to clean the shop."

"We've scraped just enough money together to buy our children gifts but they won't be all that fancy," says Yussef's wife.

Bashir Handal's gift shop is empty most of the day. "People don't put up a Christmas tree at home, so they don't buy decorations. As for the gifts, they limit their expenses to the cheapest toys," he told AFP, pointing to shelves stacked with Chinese-made plastic toy tanks and assault rifles.

Broke and exasperated by weeks of crippling Israeli army curfews, the Christian Palestinians of Bethlehem are preparing for yet another grim Christmas in the birthplace of Jesus, with Yasser Arafat once again banned from his traditional annual visit.

Around Manger Square, in front of the Church of the Nativity marking Jesus' birthplace, the shops selling statues of the nativity scene with a baby Jesus in his crib and other traditional decorations all have their doors shut. The lifting of the army curfew for a few hours every four or five days is not enough to pull in the punters.

"Why bother opening?" grumbles Salem Gacaman, owner of the Bambino store. "There are no more tourists. And even if I want to service orders from outside, how can I send my packages through the roadblocks" set up by the Israeli army around the town of around 100,000 residents, he asked.