Trio of Palestinians arrested for allegedly torching Christmas tree at Catholic church in West Bank

Three Palestinians were arrested connected accusations of lighting a Christmas histrion connected occurrence and damaging portion of a Nativity country astatine a Catholic religion successful the Israeli-occupied West Bank metropolis of Jenin, Palestinian Authority Police announced.

The onslaught happened astatine astir 3 a.m. connected Monday, according to the church.

Palestinian Authority Police said connected Wednesday that the trio was taken into custody aft a reappraisal of surveillance footage targeting the Holy Redeemer Church of Jenin. Tools were taken from the suspects that are believed to person been utilized successful the attack.

Police condemned the evident effort to incite sectarian and spiritual tensions successful the West Bank.

CHRISTMAS RETURNS TO HOLY LAND CITIES AS BETHLEHEM'S CHRISTIAN POPULATION DWINDLES, NAZARETH REMAINS STRONG

Palestinian parishioners cheque a precocious installed Christmas histrion aft the erstwhile 1 was destroyed astatine the Holy Redeemer Latin Church successful the West Bank municipality of Jenin, Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025. (AP)

The religion shared photos connected societal media showing the skeleton of a synthetic Christmas histrion that had been cleared of the greenish integrative branches, arsenic reddish and golden ornaments were seen scattered crossed the courtyard.

The torched histrion was rapidly cleaned up by the church, which erected a caller 1 a time aft the onslaught successful clip for Christmas Mass.

The religion held a peculiar ceremonial with section Muslim and Christian leaders and politicians successful attendance. Rev. Amer Jubran, the section clergyman astatine the church, said that the arson was an isolated incidental arsenic helium emphasized the city’s unity.

"This juncture reaffirmed that attempts to harm spiritual symbols volition ne'er diminish the tone of the metropolis nor the religion of its people," the Holy Redeemer Church said successful a statement.

Palestinian Authority Police said the trio was taken into custody aft a reappraisal of surveillance footage. (Getty Images)

The tiny Christian assemblage successful the West Bank is facing expanding threats of extremism from assorted sides, including some Israeli settlers and Palestinian extremists, prompting them to flight the region.

Christians marque up betwixt 1-2% of the West Bank’s astir 3 cardinal residents, and the immense bulk of the assemblage is Muslim. Across the full Middle East, the Christian colonisation has been declining arsenic radical person fled conflict.

In Israel, immoderate religion authorities and monitoring groups person documented a caller uptick successful anti-Christian sentiment and harassment, including successful Jerusalem’s Old City. Extremist Israeli settlers person besides reportedly vandalized and torched areas astir churches and Christian villages.

POPE LEO XIV DELIVERS FIRST CHRISTMAS CALLING FOR END TO VIOLENCE IN MIDDLE EAST, RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR

Police condemned the evident effort to incite sectarian and spiritual tensions successful the West Bank. (Getty Images)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The Israel-Hamas warfare successful Gaza kicked disconnected a surge of unit successful the West Bank, with the Israeli military's violative targeting terrorists has killed hundreds of Palestinians and displaced tens of thousands. Terrorists person besides attacked and killed Israelis successful Israel and the West Bank.

The struggle has coincided with an summation successful Israeli settler unit and Palestinian attacks connected Israelis.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.