For the first time, Hazem Al-Jilda, a Christian from Gaza, and his family could not light the Christmas tree at their home because of the electricity black-out caused by the lack of fuel, due to the Israeli siege on Gaza.
'We only have electricity for six hours a day because Israel is not letting any fuel supplies into Gaza's only electric power plant,' said Al-Jilda (34). 'We missed the happiness of lightening the Christmas tree this year.'
'I have never seen such a sad Christmas,' he said. 'This year, there are almost no traditional Christmas celebrations in Gaza because of the siege and Israel's refusal to give Gaza's Christians permits to visit Bethlehem.'
About 4,000 Christians live in the besieged Gaza Strip. Most of them belong to the Greek Orthodox Church, while the rest follow the Latin Church Christmas calendar, which falls on December 25.
In the time being, Gaza's Latin Church pastor Father Manuel Musalam cancelled Christmas celebrations as well as the midnight Christmas mass. Father Musalam said that he had made this decision to protest against the tight Israeli blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip, and Israeli threats to invade the coastal enclave.
'Cancelling the Christmas midnight mass in Gaza came also to protest the Israeli decision not to give permission to Gaza Christians to go to Bethlehem,' said Musalam. I called on all Christians to gather at the Holy Family School to attend a silent mass, instead of praying at church.'
Al-Jilda Family was denied permits to reach Bethlehem. 'I miss visiting and praying at the birthplace of Jesus,' he gloomily said. 'I hope next year I would be able to pray at the Church of Nativity and see my relatives there,' he said.
According to Musalam, around 900 Christians applied to the Israeli side to obtain permissions to reach the holy city of Bethlehem in the West Bank to attend the Christmas midnight mass.
'Israeli has only handed out 280 permissions to attend the Christmas Mass prayers in Bethlehem. The rest were denied,' he said.
'I would have been very glad if a limited number of clerics and worshippers attended this gathering while the rest could make it at Jesus birthplace in Bethlehem,' Musalam said.
Al-Jilda, who made the Christmas tree himself as the markets had none, said that they used to decorate a giant Christmas tree every year, in the centre of Gaza City, and Santa Claus gave out gifts to people in streets. Today, the municipality is unable to afford a tree.
'Each year, we decorate our schools and churches in Christmas colors; but not this year,' he said. 'Paper and drawing materials are scarce, and if we happen to find some at the market, we cannot afford them.'
'Santa Claus is empty handed this year.' said Al-Jilda. 'Instead of chocolates, Santa Claus gave strawberry plants that are plentiful because many plants destined to be exported to Europe have been blocked by the Israelis.'
Father Musalam urged the world to move and press Israel to lift its unjust siege on Gaza, calling on Christians worldwide to stand for the poor Palestinian people who are suffering in the Holy Land.
