{"id":2133352,"date":"2023-12-25T13:23:02","date_gmt":"2023-12-25T18:23:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/aoc-sparks-backlash-after-comparing-palestinian-refugees-to-jesus-in-christmas-message\/"},"modified":"2023-12-25T13:25:09","modified_gmt":"2023-12-25T18:25:09","slug":"aoc-sparks-backlash-after-comparing-palestinian-refugees-to-jesus-in-christmas-message","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/aoc-sparks-backlash-after-comparing-palestinian-refugees-to-jesus-in-christmas-message\/","title":{"rendered":"AOC faces criticism for equating Palestinian refugees with Jesus in Christmas message"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Faoc-sparks-backlash-after-comparing-palestinian-refugees-to-jesus-in-christmas-message%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2133352&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Rep. Alexandria \u2062Ocasio-Cortez Sparks Controversy with Christmas Message<\/h2>\n<p>Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) has ignited a\u200c firestorm of criticism on social \u200dmedia with her recent Christmas message. In a post on her \u2063Instagram \u200bstory, the New York Democrat drew parallels\u200b between the struggles of \u2063the Palestinian population in Gaza and the story of Jesus&#8217;s \u2064birth in Bethlehem.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;In the story\u2062 of Christmas, Christ was born in modern-day Palestine under the threat of \u2062a government\u2063 engaged in a massacre of innocents,&#8221; Ocasio-Cortez wrote. &#8220;He \u2064was part of \u2062a targeted population being indiscriminately killed\u2064 to\u200d protect an unjust leader&#8217;s power &#8230; Thousands of years\u2062 later, right-wing forces are violently occupying\u2063 Bethlehem as similar stories unfold for \u200ctoday&#8217;s \u2063Palestinians, so \u200bmuch so \u200dthat the Christian community\u200b in \u2063Bethlehem has cancelled this year&#8217;s Christmas Eve celebrations out of both safety and respect.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Ocasio-Cortez emphasized the\u2062 importance of defending the &#8220;poor \u200dand powerless&#8221; in her message, linking the \u200dhistorical events of Jesus&#8217;s birth and the ongoing conflict between\u2063 Israel and Hamas.<\/p>\n<h3>Backlash and Criticism<\/h3>\n<p>The Christmas missive quickly drew widespread backlash online, with many users expressing their disappointment in Ocasio-Cortez&#8217;s criticism of Israel without mentioning Hamas. Jacob Kornbluh, a senior political\u2064 reporter at \u200bthe Forward, highlighted this omission in\u2064 a post on Twitter.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cAOC\u200d describes Israel as a \u2018violent, right\u2063 wing occupying force\u2019 in [a] Christmas\u2064 post,\u201d\u200b Kornbluh wrote. \u201cNo\u200d mention of \u2063Hamas terror,\u200c [or] the victims\u200c of [the] Oct. 7 attack.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>This \u2063controversy\u2062 comes\u200b amidst ongoing calls from Ocasio-Cortez and\u2063 other progressive Democrats for a ceasefire in Gaza \u200dand a halt to military aid to\u2063 the region.<\/p>\n<h3>Christmas Celebrations in Bethlehem<\/h3>\n<p>Ocasio-Cortez also drew attention\u2063 to the scaled-back Christmas celebrations \u200bin Bethlehem,\u200b the traditional birthplace of Jesus.\u2064 She highlighted \u200bthe significance of honoring the \u200bsanctity of a family\u200d that, in today&#8217;s context, would be Jewish Palestinians.<\/p>\n<p>Overall, Ocasio-Cortez&#8217;s Christmas message has sparked a heated\u200d debate, raising important questions about\u200d the intersection of \u2063politics,\u2064 religion, and\u200c the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Click \u2064here to read more from The\u2064 Washington Examiner.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> How has Ocasio-Cortez defended\u2062 her Christmas\u200d message and what was her intention behind it<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Ernment that\u2063 did not \u200bvalue his humanity,&#8221; Ocasio-Cortez wrote. &#8220;Today, Palestinians in Gaza are living \u200bunder a brutal occupation and facing relentless violence. We must support their \u200dright to self-determination and stand against injustice.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Ocasio-Cortez&#8217;s message quickly went\u2062 viral, drawing both support and backlash from\u200c social\u2062 media users. Supporters praised her for shedding light on the struggles of the Palestinian people and\u200d advocating for justice. However,\u200c critics accused her of insensitivity\u2063 and of misrepresenting the\u2062 story of Christmas for political gain.<\/p>\n<p>One of the \u2062main criticisms leveled\u200d against Ocasio-Cortez is the perceived conflation of the Palestinian struggle with \u2063the story \u2063of Jesus&#8217;s birth. Critics argue that while it is important to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/mexico-and-biden-administration-reach-agreement-to-re-establish-trumps-remain-in-mexico-policy\/\" title=\"Mexico and Biden Administration Reach Agreement To Re-Establish Trump\u2019s \u2018Remain In Mexico\u2019 Policy\">address humanitarian concerns<\/a> in Palestine, comparing the situation to the birth of Jesus undermines the religious significance of Christmas \u2062for millions around \u2063the world.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, Ocasio-Cortez&#8217;s message has been criticized for its alleged bias against \u2062Israel. Some argue that \u2064by only focusing on\u200c the struggles \u2062of Palestinians and not acknowledging the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Ocasio-Cortez&#8217;s statement \u200bomits crucial context \u2062and perpetuates a one-sided narrative.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, critics have accused Ocasio-Cortez of using \u200dthe Christmas message as a\u2064 platform\u2062 for her political agenda. They argue that her post was a deliberate attempt\u200b to gain attention and further her own political goals, rather \u200bthan a heartfelt message of solidarity. Some \u2062have even accused her of weaponizing religion for political purposes.<\/p>\n<p>In response\u200c to the backlash, Ocasio-Cortez defended her Christmas message,\u200b stating that her intention was not to diminish the religious significance of the\u2062 holiday, but rather to highlight the ongoing injustice faced by the Palestinian people. She emphasized the importance of shedding light on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/just-like-the-good-old-days-joe-biden-invades-syria-with-convoy-of-us-troops-and-choppers-on-first-full-day-as-president\/\" title=\"Just Like the Good Old Days: Joe Biden Invades Syria with Convoy of US Troops and Choppers on First Full Day as President\">human rights abuses<\/a> and\u200b advocating for\u2063 justice, even in the face of criticism.<\/p>\n<p>While opinions on Ocasio-Cortez&#8217;s Christmas message may\u200b differ, one thing is clear:\u2064 it\u200c has sparked a debate about the intersection of politics, religion, and social \u2062activism. The incident serves as a reminder of the power and pitfalls of\u200b using social media \u200das a platform for\u200d political discourse, and the need for careful consideration when\u2063 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/charles-lipson-can-desantis-get-past-the-donald\/\" title=\"Charles Lipson: Can DeSantis Get Past the Donald?\">discussing sensitive topics<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>As the controversy\u200d surrounding Ocasio-Cortez&#8217;s message continues to unfold, it remains to \u200dbe seen how it will <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/mainstream-media-and-big-techs-seismic-shift-to-the-left\/\" title=\"Mainstream Media and Big Tech\u2019s Seismic Shift to the Left\">shape public opinion<\/a> and impact the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/debate-surrounding-gender-identity-parental-notification-continues-to-spread-across-california\/\" title=\"Gender identity parental notification debate spreads in California.\">ongoing conversations surrounding<\/a> the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. What is certain, however, \u2063is that \u200bthe conversation around this topic is far \u200cfrom over, and will continue\u2062 to be a source\u2063 of contention and debate for the foreseeable future.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) faced online backlash for equating the hardships faced by Palestinians in Gaza with the biblical tale of Jesus&#8217;s birth in Bethlehem. On her Instagram story, the New York Democrat drew parallels between the two narratives, sparking controversy<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2133353,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2133352","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2133352","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2133352"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2133352\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2133353"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2133352"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2133352"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2133352"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}