Palestinian Authority police say three people were arrested after surveillance footage linked them to the torching of a synthetic Christmas tree and partial damage to a Nativity scene at the Holy Redeemer Church in Jenin. The church replaced the tree and held a joint service with Muslim and Christian leaders affirming unity. The incident highlights pressures on the West Bank’s small Christian minority against the backdrop of increased violence since the Israel–Hamas war.
Three Arrested After Christmas Tree Torched at Jenin Church; Interfaith Service Reaffirms Unity
Palestinian parishioners check a recently installed Christmas tree after the previous one was destroyed at the Holy Redeemer Latin Church in the West Bank town of Jenin, Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed)
Palestinian Authority police said three Palestinians were arrested on suspicion of setting fire to a synthetic Christmas tree and damaging part of a Nativity display at the Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Jenin, an Israeli-occupied West Bank city.
Authorities said the detentions, announced late Wednesday, followed a review of surveillance footage. Police reported seizing tools they believe were used in the incident and condemned what they described as an apparent attempt to stoke sectarian and religious tensions in the West Bank.
The Holy Redeemer Church posted images on social media showing the charred skeleton of the artificial tree, stripped of its green plastic branches, with red and gold decorations scattered across the courtyard. The church said the attack took place at about 3 a.m. on Monday and also caused partial damage to its Nativity scene.
Church staff removed the burned tree and installed a replacement the following day so Christmas Mass could take place as planned. A special service — attended by local Muslim and Christian leaders and several politicians — underscored a message of communal solidarity. Rev. Amer Jubran, the parish priest, called the torching an isolated act and emphasized Jenin’s unity.
“This occasion reaffirmed that attempts to harm religious symbols will never diminish the spirit of the city nor the faith of its people,” the Holy Redeemer Church said in a statement.
The incident comes amid mounting pressures on the West Bank’s small Christian community, which members say faces threats from extremist Israeli settlers and from Palestinian radicals. Christians account for roughly 1–2% of the West Bank’s population of about 3 million, and the region’s Christian population has declined across the broader Middle East amid conflict and insecurity.
Wider Security Context
The Israel–Hamas war in Gaza has coincided with a surge in violence across the West Bank. Israeli military operations targeting militants have, by some accounts, killed hundreds of Palestinians and displaced tens of thousands of residents. That period has also seen an increase in settler violence and in attacks by Palestinian militants on Israelis.
Israel captured the West Bank during the 1967 Middle East war. The internationally recognized Palestinian Authority administers limited portions of the territory, including Jenin, which is often described in Israeli and international reporting as a militant stronghold.
The Holy Redeemer Church did not respond to additional requests for comment.
