A Nativity Scene crafted in Bethlehem and displayed at the Vatican's Paul VI hall features a distinctive and controversial addition this year – a cloth that appeared to be a Palestinian keffiyeh (traditional head dress) covering the baby Jesus' manger, donated by the Palestinian Embassy to the Holy See. The inclusion of the traditional Arab scarf has sparked discussion.
The display has drawn particular attention for its connection to Jesus' historical Jewish identity, as he was born to Jewish parents in what was then the Roman province of Judea.
One online commentator wrote, "Does the pope think Jesus wasn't a Jew either? Did he even read the Bible?" Another outraged X user wrote, "The pope is exploiting Christmas to advance the ridiculous effort to rebrand Jesus as Palestinian rather than what He was – a Jew who fulfilled the Old Testament prophecy of a Messiah."
The pope was previously under fire for suggesting that "What is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide" in excerpts from an upcoming book published by La Stampa.
