It’s that season of the year again! In the old days, Good Friday was the time for stirring up Christians against Jews.

The ninth century produced new forms of Jewish persecutions. Jews were accused of treason on a number of occasions. And a custom developed whereby on every Good Friday, in punishment for their supposed part in Christ's death, Jews received a facial blow.

Now Christian Arabs are trying to transfer this to Christmas, and make an annual event of it. Open Bethlehem pretends that destroying Israel’s defense barrier will make life perfect for everyone – in spite of admission by Islamic Jihad that it has succeeded in keeping terrorists out.

Open Bethlehem includes vicious, anti-Semitic hate material published by Pax Christi in time for Christmas. (A reminder, the leader of Pax Christi is Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah, known to some as the Patriarch of Terror.)

This exercise in dishonesty, intended to incite hatred against the Jews of Israel as they try to defend themselves, is exposed in the light of the truth.

While Pax Christi and terrorist-supporting Christian Arabs try to tell us that the suffering of the Christians in the Holy Land is caused by Jews, the fact is that it is caused by Muslim persecution.

These reports appear now and again, but are swiftly hidden under a heap of the usual lies, told by the usual liars, and then forgotten.

Bethlehem (AsiaNews) – Christians in Palestine have warned of increasing hostility against them in an atmosphere of intimidation and abuse by Muslim extremists who are largely allowed to act with impunity. Members of the Bethlehem community told AsiaNews what has been going on, asking to remain anonymous because of the precarious situation.

The latest episode dates back to 4 November, when armed men belonging to the “Islamic Jihad” broke into Bethlehem’s International Centre run by the Lutheran Church. An evening activity was under way, attended by consuls from European countries, foreign representatives known for their commitment towards the Palestinian people, religious leaders and exponents of local civil society. All of a sudden, armed men invaded the hall, led by Issa Marzouq, an official of Bethlehem’s town administration, and affiliated to the “Islamic Jihad”. The man went on stage and accused those present of betrayal. “You should be ashamed,” he said. “People die while you are here making shows with singing and dancing.” Marzouq broke the microphones and ordered the public to leave within five minutes or else he would start shooting. Eye witnesses said: “Police quickly arrived on the spot but they just looked on.”

“foreign representatives known for their commitment towards the Palestinian people” and "religious leaders" were there? And they were silent about this?

The incident at the Lutheran Church centre is only the most recent one. Residents said that in mid-October, an argument between two youth – a Christian and a Muslim in Bethlehem – erupted into a hunt for Christians. A group of young boys were stopping students on the road, demanding to know what religion they belong to, with the clear intent of beating those who said they were Christian. Even this time, the police just looked on.

That is what is really happening in Bethlehem.