Catholic priest, Father Manuel Musallam, who is in charge of the Holy Family Church in Gaza Strip, confirmed on Wednesday cancellation of the Midnight Mass in protest against the siege Israel imposes on the Gaza Strip and the recent Israeli threats and escalation.Follow this logic: because Israel doesn't allow him to leave Gaza whenever he wants, he will punish Gazan Christians and cancel Christmas mass!
Father Manuel told Ma’an, “Midnight Mass has been cancelled because Israel prevented Christian clerics from heading to Bethlehem. The Midnight Mass will be replaced with a silent gathering at the Holy Family School.” He called on Christians in the Gaza Strip to partake in a sit-in strike at the Holy Family School where normal prayers will be read.
It will be recalled that Father Musallam made clear last year that for him, Palestinian Arab politics trumps Christianity:
"Of course, I am a Christian believer, but politically I am a Palestinian Muslim. I resist Israel's military occupation, obviously not with weapons.We see this year exactly what that means. Just like Hamas, Father Musallam will punish his own people to score political points against Israel.
"The Jihad can never be mine but with my words, my sermons, I am a Palestinian priest."