RAMALLAH, West Bank — Activist Hekmat Bessiso recently wrote on her Facebook page, “If the birthplace of Jesus Christ does not celebrate Christmas, who in the world will? I hope Palestine remains full of lights every December. Our struggle is enduring, and this is why we should preserve our joy.” Bessiso's comments were in protest of a Nov. 23 declaration by the Council of Churches of Ramallah city and municipality to cancel the annual Christmas tree lighting and limit Christmas celebrations to religious rituals because of the current unrest. It said the decision had been made out of respect for victims and the wounded. As of Dec. 8, the number of Palestinians killed during the two-month-old intifada stood at 117.

Bessiso, a Muslim from Gaza, now lives in Ramallah. She told Al-Monitor that the annual tree-lighting ceremony in the city, held on Dec. 19, is an event she always attends with her son, Yazan, 10. She calls for preserving all manifestations of Christmas joy and celebration because, she says, it gives Christians a sense of belonging to this land, which would not be complete without them.

According to the most recent (2007) census by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, Ramallah and neighboring villages are home to 10,800 Christians out of a total 275,000 residents. Christians belong to six churches — Latin, Coptic, Catholic, Evangelical, Lutheran and Greek Orthodox — which are represented by the local Council of Churches.

“The occasion could have been used to encourage the intifada that started on Oct. 1 and express our suffering,” said Bessiso. “We could have lit the Christmas tree with the names of all the victims.” She further stated, “This intifada is not momentary and might continue. It is unacceptable to ban all manifestations of joy on holidays, which are the only events that are collectively celebrated.”