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cover art for 131: Wartime Diaries - Issa Kassissieh

Israel Story

131: Wartime Diaries - Issa Kassissieh

Season 7, Ep. 55

It’s a sad Christmas Eve in Jesus’ homeland. The alleyways of Jerusalem’s Old City, the streets of Nazareth, the churches of Bethlehem - all usually bustling with countless pilgrims and tourists from all over the world - are largely empty. There are no trees, no stars, no sparkling lights. Christmas has essentially been canceled, and not just as a figure of speech: Back in November, the patriarchs and heads of practically all the local Christian denominations issued a decree calling upon their flocks to forgo any public celebration of the holiday in solidarity with the victims of the war. But there is one man who simply cannot accept the idea of a Christmas-less year. And that man is Issa Kassissieh.


The end song is Santa Klaus Higiya Le'Azza ("Santa Klaus has come to Gaza") by Shir Peled.

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