I haven’t written to you sooner, my friends, due to the severe depression that has taken over my life because of the silence towards our plight from the governments of the world. I am talking to those who are in power and watching as our lives are systematically destroyed by the Israeli invasion to our city and the 24-hour military curfews that keep us prisoners in our homes.

I haven’t written to you sooner, my friends, due to the severe depression that has taken over my life because of the silence towards our plight from the governments of the world. I am talking to those who are in power and watching as our lives are systematically destroyed by the Israeli invasion to our city and the 24-hour military curfews that keep us prisoners in our homes. This silence has continued while a whole nation has tried to celebrate the Eid (Ramadan) under the brutally imposed Israeli military curfew. Is it an act of terror to celebrate Eid festival? Is that why they have kept us under curfew? Is that why mosques were attacked by the world’s fifth largest army as men went to pray? I feel so ashamed that the sense of humanity towards us Palestinians has faded away and we feel so very alone and abandoned in our legitimate resistance against the Israeli occupation.

So does this mean that we Christians in the Holy Land should now prepare to spend the most Holy festival (Christmas) forcibly locked in our homes? What joy do children or we have to look forward to for the Christmas holiday while each day passes by without change? The streets of Bethlehem have no decorations, the streets and markets are deserted, no internationals are marching through our streets preparing to spend their holiday here for the Holy festival. Is Christmas day going to be just another day that passes by with our lives just continuing to be a waste? Life for us is with no hope for the future, no hope for peace and justice to prevail in our region. We are terrified of the expected action against Iraq, which appears to be imminent. We know what will happen to us, even if the powers of the world choose to ignore the signs.

Please stand for peace and force the nations who have the power to stand against the oppression of the Israeli government and once and for all demand true justice for the Palestinians.

We are still under curfew; no Christmas trees are decorated in our homes.


Thank you for listening for my appeal.

Keep us in your prayers.

Suzan Sahori

International Public Relations Officer

Beit Sahour Municipality