Press Statement: By David Parsons, ICEJ Senior Vice President & Spokesman

The International Christian Embassy Jerusalem expressed relief today at reports the Vatican has removed a Nativity scene on its premises promoting the falsified myth of a ‘Palestinian Jesus’ in response to the growing backlash against the controversial display.

“We are relieved at reports that the Vatican has decided to remove the provocative Nativity display with an infant Jesus resting on a black-and-white keffiyeh, which is an unmistakable symbol of Palestinian nationalism. This Crèche not only denigrated Jewish heritage, it also undermined core tenets of the Christian faith. Indeed, millions of Christians worldwide were instantly incensed by this exhibit ahead of the Christmas season, and the Vatican did the right thing in taking it down,” said David Parsons, Senior Vice President and Spokesman for the ICEJ.

“It would have been theological malpractice for the Holy See to allow this display to remain. For if Jesus was a Palestinian Arab, then he would not have qualified to be the Christ, the promised Messiah, and Savior of the world,” Parsons explained. “The Hebrew and Christian Scriptures are all clear that he would be the “Son of David,” springing forth from the “root of Jesse,” the least clan of the tribe of Judah. The New Testament affirms he was born in the “City of David,” where the wise men came seeking him who was born “King of the Jews,” not the rais of Ramallah.”

“Our hope is that the backlash to this offensive Nativity display will mark a turning point in Christian rejection of the ‘Palestinian Jesus’, a deceptive narrative on a par with the Aryan Jesus in terms of its malicious intent towards the Jewish people,” added Parsons.

The appearance of Pope Francis in front of the Nativity scene last week drew fierce reactions from Christians and Jews worldwide, and came amid a recent series of similar negative messages towards Israel and the Jewish people emanating from the Vatican. For instance, last month the Vatican released excerpts from an upcoming book of interviews with Pope Francis which includes a call by the pontiff to probe whether Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza amounts to genocide.

“If Israel were truly committing a genocide in Gaza, then why has the entire international community insisted that the Palestinian population remain there to be slaughtered,” said Parsons. “In any other instance worldwide, global leaders would have demanded the opening of humanitarian corridors to allow innocent civilians to flee the battlefield. In releasing this excerpt, the Vatican was simply mimicking the hideous blood libel being levelled at Israel by its enemies.”

In addition, even though the pope has met several times with family members of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza and called for their release, he also wrote a letter to Middle Eastern Catholics on the first anniversary of the October 7 terror attack which never mentioned Hamas by name, or made explicit reference to its atrocities, including the crime of taking hostages.

“Taken together, these actions by the papacy have signalled a disturbing ill-will towards the Jewish state and people. We commend the Vatican for changing its mind on the Nativity display and urge the pope’s handlers to also abandon any antisemitic messaging,” Parsons concluded.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
David Parsons
ICEJ Senior Vice President & Spokesman

Photo: Pope Francis surveys Nativity scene at Vatican with ‘Palestinian Jesus’-Vatican media via Crux