The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee placed billboards in Times Square reading "Jesus is Palestinian, Merry Christmas," combining a Quranic verse (3:45) with holiday greetings to highlight Palestinian identity and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The ADC said the ads aim to reclaim cultural ties to Bethlehem and draw attention to Christians and Palestinians living under occupation. Critics note the anachronism of using a modern national label for a historical figure, while supporters emphasize geographic and religious continuity. The campaign has sparked debate and media attention over history, faith and politics.
Times Square Billboard Declares “Jesus Is Palestinian” — ADC Campaign Prompts Debate Over History, Identity and Gaza
The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem at dawn of Christmas Eve, 2023.
A billboard campaign in New York's Times Square this week declaring "Jesus is Palestinian, Merry Christmas" was installed by the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) and has renewed public debate over historical identity, modern politics and the Gaza‑Israel conflict.
What the Ads Say
Photos shared by the ADC show two billboards: one reading "Jesus is Palestinian, Merry Christmas" and another combining the holiday greeting with a quotation from the Quran (3:45) about the birth of Jesus. The organization said the ads were intended to draw attention to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and to highlight Palestinian cultural and religious ties to Bethlehem.
“Remember when the angels proclaimed, ‘O Mary! Allah gives you good news of a Word from Him, his name will be the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary; honoured in this world and the Hereafter, and he will be one of those nearest to Allah.’” (Quran 3:45)
ADC’s Rationale
In an Instagram post accompanying the images, the ADC described the billboards as “an act of cultural resilience” meant to "reclaim the truth, honoring the Palestinian refugee born in Bethlehem," to resist what it called the "erasure of Palestinian identity," and to emphasize that Jesus is venerated in Islam. The post also said the campaign sought to "center unity, heritage and Palestine" during the holiday season.
Responses and Contested Claims
The campaign has prompted strong reactions. ADC National Executive Director Adeb Ayoub told Fox News Digital that media attention to Christians in the Holy Land is limited and accused Israel of targeting Christians in Bethlehem for decades. Ayoub also said the Israeli Foreign Ministry purchased ad space on the same billboard to counter the ADC message; that claim has been reported by news outlets alongside the ADC statements.
Some commentators and critics point out anachronism in the billboard’s language: the modern State of Palestine was proclaimed in 1988, nearly two millennia after the historical lifetime of Jesus. Supporters of the ADC's message say the phrase is intended to emphasize geographic and cultural continuity — that Bethlehem, venerated as Jesus' birthplace, is today in the West Bank and associated with Palestinian identity.
Context: Bethlehem And Demographics
Modern Bethlehem is located in the West Bank and today has a Muslim-majority population; at the time of Jesus' birth the town was part of the Roman-era province of Judea. The city’s Christian population has declined substantially in percentage terms since the 1950s, a shift often cited in discussions about emigration, economic pressures, and regional conflict.
The billboards come amid heightened attention to Gaza following the October attacks and subsequent fighting; the ADC framed the Times Square campaign as a way to focus public attention on the humanitarian situation in Gaza and on Palestinian heritage during the holiday season.
What To Watch
Expect further discussion in the media and on social platforms about the intersection of historical claims, faith traditions, and contemporary politics. The billboard campaign illustrates how symbolism and public advertising can provoke conversation — and controversy — about identity and the ongoing conflict in the region.
