In the midst of this joyous season, Israel realized it had not yet sent its season’s greetings and so on the day before Christmas Eve, Israel delivered its message of warmth, as the bustling and fiery engines of more than 40 Israeli tanks and military vehicles descended on Rafah refugee camp, causing a panicked ruckus on the streets.

Heavy shooting ensued, and before long nine Palestinians had lost their lives and scores were seriously wounded. The nine Palestinians killed were identified as Khalil al-Kassas, 50, Ali Hussein al-Najar, 22, Ayyed Ibrahim al-Najar, 24, Hanieh Abu Darwish, 44, Ahmad Majar, 32, Ala' Ata Bahloul, 23, Wi'am Rizeq Mousa, a 26-year-old medic, Rami al-Haj, 23 and Mohammad Kamel Mansour, 27, who died at dawn Wednesday as a result of wounds sustained from flying shrapnel caused by a tank shell.

Bethlehem this year has very little to celebrate, as Israel’s Separation Wall promises to turn the city where Christ was born into another ghetto. The section of the Wall that is being built is comprised of triple layer concrete walls and two metal fences, one of which has the added feature of electronic sensors. There is a real fear that the city will soon be surrounded from all sides, completely wiping the livelihood of the mainly Palestinian Christian residents of Bethlehem and its suburb, Beit Sahour.

The outrage is that Israel still claims, with a straight face, that it guarantees freedom of religion to all, while making conditions to enter Bethlehem for midnight mass at the Church of Nativity so arduous that this year the expected attendance promises to be a record low. In spite of Sharon’s proclaimed, but not practiced, tolerance, several Palestinian Christians and a tiny international presence brave the quiet streets of Bethlehem on this silent night to pray for this torn land and wish for all a Merry Christmas.