Jerusalem neighborhood of Christians ... Christmas atmosphere is present despite the scenes of restrictions

The wandering in the Old City of Jerusalem, coming from the historical Bab Al-Amud side, passes through a long road, branching to its north and right by the alleys and roads, leading to the old city neighborhoods, neighborhoods, mosques and churches, and in the middle of that road the stairs of the Khan Al-Zait market connect it to the Christian Quarter, the most important and oldest Old Jerusalem neighborhoods.

Once the wandering in the Christmas season exceeds the long stairs, he finds Christmas trees covered in alleys and neighborhoods of the Christian Quarter, or as it is famous for the Christian quarter, which mediates the scenes of churches adjacent to the minarets, and adjoins the domes of antique homes, and after he continues his path, he is attracted by scenery decorations and gifts for the feast Majeed that adorn the shops and shops in the neighborhood.

This is one of the scenes of the Christmas atmosphere that 4000 Christian Jerusalemites live in the Christian neighborhood of Haret, within the four patriarchs, namely the Greek Orthodox, Latin, Roman Catholics, and Copts, along with many monasteries, churches, alleys, and neighborhoods, despite the harshness of the occupation practices against the Christian neighborhood and its residents. .

Israel is deliberately narrowing the living space and housing in the Christian neighborhood, in addition to the attacks that the residents are exposed to, from settlers living in the largest settlement outposts in the Christian Quarter, located in the monastery of St. John.

Rania Elias, director of the Yabous Cultural Center in the Christian Quarter, said: “The atmosphere of Christmas prevails in all the neighborhoods of the Old City in Jerusalem, the most prominent of which is the Christian Quarter, which is the incubator of the Christian community in the Holy City since eternity, and this atmosphere we live as Christians in Jerusalem, despite the practices Occupation".

And she confirms that the revival of Christians in Jerusalem, the atmosphere of the birth of Christ, peace be upon him, has important indications of their adherence as Palestinian Jerusalemites to their holy city, adding: "These scenes contradict the occupation policy to empty Jerusalem of its indigenous people, and to Judaize the neighborhoods and landmarks in it."

For his part, Mukhtar Haret Al-Nassari, in the name of Saeed, points out that the practices of the occupation against the residents of the Christian neighborhood, and the narrowing of the living and housing spaces allocated to them, led a large part of them to leave the neighborhood in the neighboring towns or outside Palestine.

Saeed told «Emirates Today»: “Due to its old age, the neighborhood's walls have eroded and need restoration and reconstruction, and the restrictions imposed on Muslim Jerusalemites themselves are imposed on us. The reconstruction process is conditional on obtaining a license from the occupation municipality in Jerusalem, which is often "She rejects it, as well as the limited size of houses."

The Christian Quarter, which is one of the four major neighborhoods in the Old City of Jerusalem, is located in the northwestern corner of the Holy City, as it embraces among its streets and alleys the Church of the Holy Sepulcher from the most sacred Christian sanctuary, along with 40 Christian sites, which extend along the western wall of the walls of the Old City, from A new door is one of the main doors of Al-Aqsa Mosque, even the Hebron Gate.