Israeli law enforcement officers disrupted a Christmas celebration in Haifa’s Wadi Nisnas neighborhood this week, resulting in the arrest of a Palestinian man costumed as Santa Claus along with a DJ and street vendor. The incident occurred on Sunday when police forcibly dispersed festivities organized by Palestinian Christian citizens of Israel.
According to the Mossawa Centre, an advocacy organization for Palestinian citizens of Israel, authorities employed excessive force during the detainments and conducted an unauthorized raid on a local music institute. Video evidence circulating online depicts officers physically removing the Santa Claus-clad individual from the scene and interrupting traditional dabke dance performances.
All three detainees were released on Monday but face potential court summons. The arrestees reported physical assaults during their detention, with one requiring medical treatment for a shoulder injury sustained during the incident.
Israeli police justified their actions as responding to ‘unusual noise and disturbance of public order,’ additionally alleging that the Santa Claus impersonator resisted arrest and assaulted an officer.
This event occurs within a broader context of escalating restrictions and harassment targeting Palestinian Christians in Israel and occupied territories. Recent years have witnessed increased anti-Christian hate crimes by ultra-nationalist Israelis, including church trespassing, assaults on worshippers, and vandalism of religious sites.
The Gaza Strip’s Christian minority has suffered particularly severe impacts since October 2023, with Israeli bombardments damaging three historic churches and resulting in at least 53 Christian fatalities alongside numerous injuries.