“Christmas is canceled in the land of Jesus’ birth”
“Christmas is canceled!” Queen Rania’s statement is shocking, but she has eloquently clarified it in her opinion piece in the Washington Post.
In a Washington Post article, Queen Rania of Jordan delivered a powerful and poignant message in her opinion piece “Christmas is canceled in the land of Jesus’s Birth”. She criticized the Israeli siege and bombing of Gaza, which had killed more than 20,000, including at least 8,000 children, with only eight hospitals out of 36 operational, while it’s impossible to accommodate more than 50,000 Gazans who have been wounded. These unfortunate events displaced two million of the 2.2 million people in Gaza, turning almost the entire population into refugees. Moreover, nearly half of the people in Gaza are starving. In more than two months, less than a week’s worth of the aid they need has been allowed in. She exclaimed, “How could starving a population be considered a legitimate form of self-defense?”
Queen Rania stated that Bethlehem was always a Holy Land that celebrated Christmas, but not this year, Jordan Christian community has chosen to cancel all celebrations.
The Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem declared the cancellation of Christmas celebrations in a solemn announcement on November 10. The Church of Nativity has canceled its Christmas festivities, put away its Christmas decorations, and instead of the church’s normal nativity scene, placed baby Jesus on top of a pile of rubble inside the church.
Read more: Queen Rania of Jordan…A source of Inspiration Through Truth and Compassion
A plea to the world
The Queen of Jordan contemplated that the heart-shattering videos she watched all over the social media feed were a plea to the world to recognize Palestinian humanity and hurt, as the people of Gaza still have not lost hope in others’ humanity. She also called for an immediate ceasefire and to embark on the difficult process of rehumanization of the Palestinian People.
Queen Rania has exposed the harsh reality in the Palestine-occupied territories and its devastating impact on the people of Bethlehem and the Holy Land. She has also challenged the international community, especially the United States, to take a more active and balanced role in the peace process and to hold Israel accountable for its violations of international law. She has appealed to the values and emotions of her audience, especially the Christians who celebrate Christmas, by highlighting the religious significance of Bethlehem and the Holy Land and by expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people. She has urged an immediate ceasefire, based on the UN resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative. She has warned that the ongoing conflict is not only a humanitarian tragedy but also a threat to the peace and stability of the region and the world.
Queen Rania ended her piece with a strong and memorable Question that captures the essence of her article and each of us must answer: ” If you could prevent hundreds or thousands more children from dying, would you?”
An advocate for humanity
Queen Rania of Jordan, the wife of King Abdullah II of Jordan, who ascended the throne in 1999, was born in Kuwait to Palestinian parents and graduated from the American University in Cairo with a degree in business administration. She worked in banking and information technology before meeting and marrying Abdullah in 1993. They have four children: Crown Prince Hussein, Princess Iman, Princess Salma, and Prince Hashem.
Known for her advocacy on various issues, such as education, women’s rights, environmental protection, and cross-cultural dialogue, Queen Rania has founded several charities and initiatives to support these causes and has received numerous awards and honors for her work. She is also active on social media platforms, such as YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter, where she engages with millions of followers and promotes positive messages about the Arab world.
