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A paid billboard in New York City’s Times Square ignited backlash this week after proclaiming “Jesus is Palestinian” alongside a Christmas greeting.
The display was part of a broader campaign by anti-Israel activists using the holiday season to promote false political narratives about Israel, the Palestinians, and Christianity.
The American Arab Discrimination Committee (ADC) funded two digital billboards. One carried the political slogan, while the second displayed a Quranic verse describing the birth of Jesus.
ADC Promotes Campaign as Cultural Statement
The ADC described the billboards as an expression of cultural resilience. In posts shared online, the organization said it wanted to emphasize heritage, unity, and the Palestinians, rather than consumerism. It also claimed the campaign would encourage interfaith dialogue by highlighting that Islam views Jesus as a prophet.
At the same time, ADC asserted that Palestinian identity faces erasure. The group described Jesus as a “Palestinian refugee born in Bethlehem,” despite the historical reality that Jesus lived centuries before modern national identities existed. In a public statement, ADC added that it sought to “reclaim a fundamental truth” by placing the message in Times Square.
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Activists and Influencers Amplify the Message
Soon after, similar claims spread across social media. Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg shared a post alongside the nonprofit Slow Factory, stating that “Jesus was a Palestinian born under occupation.”
Slow Factory expanded on the claim stating, “If that child was born today, chances would be he would be imprisoned in Israeli military jail. Praying for the children of Palestine isn’t enough, we must end the occupation.” As a result, the post reframed a central Christian narrative as an indictment of the modern Jewish state.
Biblical Figures Recast in Modern Political Terms
Other activist organizations echoed the theme. The Global Sumud Flotilla compared Roman rule in ancient Judea to Israel’s current policies. It claimed that Palestinian carpenters face persecution similar to Jesus’ experience and alleged that modern Palestinians suffer political targeting for resembling him.
The group went further. It declared that “the crucifixion continues daily in Palestine” and claimed Jesus would actively resist Israel today. Through this framing, the organization cast contemporary political conflict as a continuation of biblical suffering.
Student Groups Call to ‘Decolonize Christmas’
Student activists also joined the campaign. National Students for Justice in Palestine released statements calling for the “decolonization” of Christmas and the “demythologizing” of historic Palestine.
In its messaging, SJP accused Israel of occupying Christian cities, including Nazareth. However, Nazareth lies well within Israel’s 1948 armistice lines. The group also labeled Zionism a colonial ideology and claimed it contradicts Christian values. It asserted that Palestinians across Bethlehem, Nazareth, and Gaza live under uniform “Zionist occupation.”
Faith and History Replaced With Activism
The Times Square billboard and its online echoes illustrate a growing effort to merge religious holidays with ideological campaigns. By projecting modern Palestinian nationalism onto a first-century Jewish figure, activists reshape history to serve present-day political aims.
The campaign underscores how sacred traditions increasingly become tools for polarization rather than occasions for reflection, peace, and historical truth.
Take Action
CAM has launched Report It — a secure app to report antisemitic incidents anonymously and in real time. Don’t stay silent — download it today on the Apple Store or Google Play. See it. Report it. Stop it. Together, we can fight this hate.
Jesus was a Jew from Judea, born into a Jewish family, living under Roman rule in the first century.
That is established history, not opinion. Accurately identifying Jewish history is essential.
Remind the world that #JesusfromJudea was not a Palestinian. Thread👇 (1/4) pic.twitter.com/qkP2boQ479
— Sacha Roytman (@SachaRoytman) December 27, 2025
