A CNN guest hoping to strike a reconciliatory tone over the holiday may have missed the mark.
Father Edward Beck probably knew he was entering a proverbial minefield when he tried to link “the story of Christmas” to the Israel-Hamas war. (RELATED: Hamas, Israel Reject Egyptian Proposal To End War)
Fox News reports that the priest's remarks came on Christmas Day when he was asked to share words of encouragement to those who feel “hopeless” this holiday season.
Despite the resulting controversy, Father Beck remains resolute, telling critics “my message was one of unity and solidarity”:
Beck defended his stance on X, sharing a Britannica article called “Jewish Palestine at the time of Jesus” and sharing a quote from another link that read “remembering that the name ‘Palestinian' has long referred to Muslims, Jews, and others who have lived in that part of the world for generations.”
But that did not quell the uproar over his comments.
“We all heard you on CNN today, claiming that Jesus was a Palestinian Jew, and comparing his plight with Palestinians today being forced to ‘flee into Egypt.' Shame on you for inciting hate reminiscent of blood libels,” Samwawal Foundations founder Avi Kaner said to Beck.
Beck replied, “Sorry you heard what you wanted to hear. But my message was one of unity and solidarity—with both Israel, and with suffering Palestinians. The more we accentuate our differences, the less love there will be in the world.”
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