Saturday, November 14, 2026

2 Palestinian Christian leaders from Bethlehem DENIED ENTRY TO U.S.

WEST BANK ALERTS — US Denies Visas to Two Palestinian Christian Leaders from Bethlehem, Preventing Them from Speaking at Events in the United States

Bethlehem, West Bank | Date: November 13, 2026 | Reporting Agencies: West Bank VPP

US authorities have denied a visa to Father Issa Thaljieh, the Palestinian parish priest at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, preventing him from attending an event in Washington, DC, scheduled for 16 November. The gathering aims to highlight the escalating Israeli settler attacks on Palestinian villages and call on the US Congress to hold Israeli settlers and military forces accountable and curb US weapons transfers to Israel. The visa denial was reportedly justified on unspecified “security reasons.”

Father Thaljieh was expected to join Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant religious leaders near the US Capitol to share the experiences of Palestinians facing settler violence and demand accountability for violations in the occupied West Bank. Following the denial, his sister, Honey Thaljieh, who received a US visa, is expected to speak on his behalf and convey the voices of Palestinian families in Bethlehem.

In a separate incident, US authorities also denied a visa to Reverend Munther Isaac, pastor of Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem, preventing him from attending a Christian conference in Atlanta, Georgia, last week. The denial came despite his having previously visited the United States several times, including in September 2025.

The two visa denials have raised concerns about the ability of Palestinian Christian leaders to travel internationally and share firsthand accounts of the situation facing Palestinian communities, including escalating settler attacks and violations affecting Palestinian villages and towns in the occupied West Bank.

What This Signals

The denial of entry visas to two prominent Palestinian Christian leaders seeking to participate in events addressing Israeli violations and the situation of Palestinians raises concerns about obstacles to conveying Palestinian voices and firsthand testimonies to international audiences. It also highlights the challenges facing Palestinian religious leaders attempting to draw international attention to the conditions of their communities and advocate for accountability.

https://vppnews.substack.com/p/west-bank-alerts-us-denies-visas

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Gazans harvest dregs of olive groves bulldozed and cut off by Israel

By Mahmoud Issa and Nidal Al-Mughrabi

October 14, 2026

GAZA/CAIRO, Oct 14 (Reuters) - Haidar Abu Middain, 60, lifts a desiccated bough of a fallen olive tree and tosses it aside in the barren dirt of what was once one of the most prosperous groves in central Gaza.

The family olive orchard he owned with his brothers and his uncles used to span 900 dunums — 220 acres — of trees that this time of year would be heavy with ripe fruit.

The whole ‌clan would come out to gather the harvest — 1,100 to 1,500 tons of olives piled in bushels — some to be sold as fruit, the rest pressed into enough fragrant oil to fill as many as 900 of the 16-litre drums in which it is typically sold.

Today, nearly half of the orchard lies beyond the "yellow line" guarded by Israeli troops who bar Palestinians from even entering two-thirds of the Gaza Strip. The other half of the grove, though still accessible, has mostly been bulldozed.

Only around 20 or 30 trees are somehow still standing. Abu Middain reckons they will produce just two drums of oil, not even enough ⁠for his own family.

"The produce before the war was blessed, it was enough to earn a livelihood for our families," he told Reuters. "The harvest from here used to be enough to supply the entire central area, with both oil and olives."

PRIZE CROP AND SANCTUARY

Before the war, olives were the jewels of Gaza agriculture, pressed into enough rich oil to serve as a staple for the local diet, and a small surplus for export to Israel. The shady groves abutting Gaza's concrete cities were a sanctuary for families in one of the world's most densely populated territories.

But a year after a ceasefire ended major fighting, almost all of the once-proud orchards are bulldozed under.

Gaza's agriculture authorities estimate that of 2 million olive trees, barely 150,000 are still standing. They anticipate a harvest of about 5,000 tons of olives instead of the usual 40,000, producing only 700 tons of oil instead of 5,000.

THERE'S ZERO

Bushels of olives and drums of freshly pressed oil would normally be stacked high in Gaza's markets this time ‌of year.

Nowadays ⁠there is barely any at all, and what does make it to market sells at around triple the pre-war price, nearly $500 a drum, well beyond what Gazan families can afford, said Imad al-Ajrami, 33, a shopper in Deir al-Balah market.... READ MORE https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/gazans-harvest-dregs-olive-groves-bulldozed-cut-off-by-israel-2026-10-14/

"Let this Christmas be dedicated to prayer for the land of Christmas and its oppressed and downtrodden people, especially in Gaza, the West Bank, Bethlehem, and in this holy land. Let it be a holiday in which we pray for the oppressed and the wronged in this world, and for the victims of wars wherever they are and wherever they are found." Archbishop Atallah Hanna

Archbishop Atallah Hanna

Theodosios Atallah Hanna

We call on all churches and Christians around the world to pay attention to the land of Christmas, as they prepare to welcome the glorious Christmas celebrations.

The US authorities have prevented a delegation of Palestinian Christian clergy from entering the United States, as it was planned that this delegation would make a tour of several states and visit several churches and academic institutions, on the eve of the glorious Christmas celebrations, to discuss the situation in the Palestinian territories and what is being faced by Palestinian Christians.

The delegation was prevented from entering the United States so that the voice of the Christian churches in the Holy Land would not be heard, but those who prevented the delegation forget that there are other means through which their voice can reach and their message can be conveyed, such as meetings through Zoom platform and other social media platforms, so t

hat the voice of Palestinian Christians can reach where it should.
The US authorities also prevented Palestinian figures from entering the United States, and here the question arises: why is this situation of fear of the truthful word and the correct and upright Christian stance so alarming? Why are they disturbed that a Palestinian Christian clergyman stands to defend his people and holy sites, and the oppressed, wronged, and marginalized Palestinian man?

The prevention of the Palestinian Christian clergy delegation from entering America is a sign of weakness, not a sign of strength, for one who fears the truthful word and the noble, sincere stance is not strong, but weak.

They are trying to suppress the truth, and they are using all means to silence the voices of Christian churches in Jerusalem from the pulpits in America and other human rights and humanitarian institutions, but they forget that the many available means of communication today can convey the message without an American visa or a visa to enter the United States.

In these days when Christians in the East and West are preparing to welcome the glorious Christmas holidays, and the rituals, celebrations, decorations, and lights that shine everywhere, I say to all churches around the world: in this glorious and blessed season, remember and do not forget that the cave of the Nativity is in Bethlehem, and that the true light of the Nativity shone from the cave of Bethlehem, and that all the lights of this world, its decorations and lights are worthless if they are not connected to the place of the Nativity and the true light of the Nativity that shone more than two thousand years ago in the holy and blessed city of Bethlehem.

O Christians everywhere, remember that the Church of the Holy Land is the first Church, and from it the message of faith was sent to all places. We respect the great Christian spiritual centers in Rome, Constantinople, Antioch, Alexandria, and others, but Palestine remains the land of the Nativity, the Incarnation, and the redemption, and the Church of the Holy Land remains the first Church and the Mother Church.

I appeal and call on all the heads of Christian churches around the world, and all the spiritual religious authorities around the world, who are preparing for Christmas, to remember the children of Palestine and its oppressed and downtrodden people.

When the Savior was born, the Magi came from far away to offer their gifts to the newborn child in order to save the world, bringing gold, frankincense, and myrrh. As the Bible tells us.

Here I would like to ask the churches and their leaders: what gift will you offer to the newborn child for our salvation on the occasion of his birth? He does not want gold, frankincense, and myrrh, but what he wants from you in these difficult times is that there be a lack of oppression, suffering, torment, marginalization, and oppression.

The gift that the Savior wants from you at his birth is that you turn to every oppressed, tormented, suffering, and marginalized person in this world, especially in the land of birth, incarnation, and redemption.

And you prepare for the birth, pray for the land of birth, for it needs your prayers and supplications, perhaps the future will be better than the bitter reality we live in these times. Pray for this entire East, and for the peoples of our region who live in a state of instability, lack security and safety, and are threatened by wars and more pain, sorrow, and suffering.

Isn't it time for this East, whose heart beats, Palestine, to stop? Doesn't the savage get enough of the innocent blood shed every day? We live through scenes of destruction, devastation, blood, and tears every day, every hour.

Christianity urges us to have mercy and humanity, and to reject hatred, racism, wars, and injustices that target any person in this world.

So it is not permissible for a Christian to ignore the existence of people who are suffering, tormented, and deprived of living their normal lives.

Yes, we need your prayers and supplications on Christmas, as well as on all seasons and days, but we also need the noble Christian human and moral stances, perhaps they will reach the giants of this world and its rulers, so that they may be more just and humane, and a safeguard for the dignity and freedom of man.
Raise your voice loudly on Christmas, and may your sermons be dedicated to peace in the land of birth, and to achieving justice in these lands.

Look at Gaza and its pains, its pains, and its suffering, and look at the besieged West Bank, as if it has become a large prison, and look at the special city of Bethlehem, where its modest and great cave, and what it has offered to humanity, has come.

The message of Bethlehem on Christmas is that it loves life, and loves the great values and principles that the Messiah called upon in his birth and incarnation.
Do you know that the city of Christmas is now besieged by the walls of racism and the iron gates that surround it from all sides?

Do you know that if the Magi decide again to visit the cave, they will find locked doors and walls that prevent them from reaching their goal?

Do you know that Bethlehem and its governorate live with its inhabitants as if they were in a prison, where they are prevented from reaching Jerusalem and other places?

They want the city of Christmas to be far from the city of Resurrection, and they want Jerusalem to be far from the Palestinian people, who love their city and its sanctities, as their history and deep roots in this holy land.

Do you know that the walls of the apartheid between Jerusalem and Bethlehem are a stain on the forehead of humanity? Therefore, we call upon you from the wounded and suffering heart of Palestine, to call out in your words and speeches the removal of the apartheid walls and the iron gates, so that the Palestinian person can reach their sanctities and exercise their most basic rights.

They prevented a delegation of Palestinian Christian men from reaching America, so be a voice on behalf of the Christians of the Holy Land, and on behalf of our oppressed people who deserve to live normally and have been deprived of it for many years.

The voice of the church in our Holy Land and in our East and in our entire world must be a prophetic voice biased towards truth and justice, without fear or hesitation, and we must express the correct positions that are consistent with the values of our faith, our ethics, and our principles.

Your bias towards Palestine and its oppressed people is a bias towards truth and justice, and a bias towards true and noble Christianity. There must also be a bias towards every just cause, every oppressed people, and every suffering and tormented person, regardless of their religion, beliefs, or cultural and human background.

Remember that Christmas is a holiday associated with Bethlehem and this Holy Land, and remember that the sons of this land live through pain, sorrow, and suffering, so be a help to them and a balm to their wounds.

Be like Saman al-Qayrawani who walked the path of pain with the master, and be with our people in their journey of pain and suffering, until they achieve victory over death, and victory over injustice, tyranny, and occupation.

Let this Christmas be dedicated to prayer for the land of Christmas and its oppressed and downtrodden people, especially in Gaza, the West Bank, Bethlehem, and in this holy land. Let it be a holiday in which we pray for the oppressed and the wronged in this world, and for the victims of wars wherever they are and wherever they are found.

Peace from the cave of Christmas, from the land of Christmas, the incarnation and redemption, to all churches around the world and to all Christians around the world, wishing you not to forget this blessed spot in the world in your prayers and supplications, and to pray for justice, freedom, and peace.
True peace is not built through the walls of racial division, but through bridges of love and brotherhood and the realization of justice in these lands.

Archbishop Atallah Hanna
President of the Greek Orthodox Diocese of St. Petersburg

Jerusalem, December 2026

Friday, November 13, 2026

Urgent appeal to expedite the entry of winter supplies into Gaza: As the Occupying Power, Israel is obliged to ensure the basic needs of the local population, including the supplies essential for their survival. Yet Israeli policies continue to obstruct the entry of critical items as well as access to most of Gaza’s land, including areas away from the shoreline that are less prone to flooding. Incoming supplies face multiple approval requirements, limited crossing capacity and unpredictable or narrow delivery windows that delay their entry.

Displaced children in Gaza following the first heavy rains of the season, November 2026. Photo by IOM

Statement by the Humanitarian Country Team of the Occupied Palestinian Territory

The devastating impact of the latest rainstorm in Gaza was preventable. Children and adults were killed, critical services suspended, and thousands of family shelters flooded, swept away, or torn apart – not by the storm alone, but by policy decisions.

Months ago, the humanitarian community presented a plan to help Palestinians prepare for the 2026-2027 winter season.

The plan was clear about what we would deliver: shelter; improved health and protection services; drainage and sandbag reinforcement; and support for people choosing to relocate from dangerously damaged buildings and from flood-prone displacement areas to which they had been pushed.
It identified the supplies that needed to enter Gaza: tents, cement, warm clothes, blankets, sandbags and safe heaters; pumps, generators, fuel, engine oil, spare parts; equipment to pump out water, remove debris and clear explosive ordnance; oxygen concentrators, laboratory equipment, vaccines, antibiotics, medicines and supplies to combat infectious diseases.
And it spelled out what was needed to make this possible: sufficient humanitarian funding, expedited entry of critical supplies and access to higher ground.

As the Occupying Power, Israel is obliged to ensure the basic needs of the local population, including the supplies essential for their survival. Yet Israeli policies continue to obstruct the entry of critical items as well as access to most of Gaza’s land, including areas away from the shoreline that are less prone to flooding. Incoming supplies face multiple approval requirements, limited crossing capacity and unpredictable or narrow delivery windows that delay their entry.

Although funding has fallen far short of what is needed, more than 150,000 tents procured by humanitarian partners and Member States are outside Gaza, ready for dispatch; most are in Al Arish, just 50 kilometres away from Khan Younis. Inside Gaza, each rainstorm destroys more tents, requiring yet more replacements; the needs are growing. And providing longer-lasting shelter requires even more funding, approvals and access. Therefore, figures on incoming supplies do not mean that people’s needs have been met. They have not. Success must be measured not by approvals, but by whether people are receiving the assistance they need.

Winter will last for months. Access to longer-lasting shelter must not be made conditional on political progress when people’s needs are so urgent. Winter supplies must reach families immediately to prevent further loss of life and protect their dignity. People cannot wait.

We call on the Israeli authorities to immediately ensure that Palestinians in Gaza have access to life-saving supplies. Expedite their entry in sufficient quantities. Let them in every day, through every available crossing. Lift any restrictions. Unblock any obstacles. Enable the repair of water and wastewater networks. Let all humanitarian partners operate – UN agencies, international organizations, and Palestinian NGOs alike. Allow meaningful commercial activity.

We call on Member States to use their influence to ensure these steps are taken swiftly and to provide the necessary humanitarian funding without delay. Lives are at stake.

Ends

_{* The Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) is a strategic
decision-making forum led by the Humanitarian Coordinator for the
Occupied Palestinian Territory. It brings together heads of UN entities
and NGOs – both international and Palestinian – all working on
humanitarian affairs in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip under
internationally agreed humanitarian principles.}

https://www.ochaopt.org/content/urgent-appeal-expedite-entry-winter-supplies-gaza

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“We are heading towards a future of more genocides and more ecocides and the complete compromise of our basic rights and where basic necessities become luxuries...” Greta Thunberg

Greta Thunberg is escorted by police officers after the press conference on day four at Cop31. Photograph: Burak Kara/Getty Images

The planet ‘is being killed’, Greta Thunberg tells Cop31 climate summit

Swedish activist criticised world governments for their failure to prevent environmental breakdown

The planet is “not dying, it is being killed and we know by who”, said Greta Thunberg, who excoriated world governments for their failure to prevent environmental breakdown in her first appearance at the annual UN climate talks in five years.

Thunberg, 23, the Swedish activist who became famous for heading the school climate strike movement, delivered her stark message to those gathered at the Cop31 summit in Antalya, Turkey, amid the ongoing failure by countries to adequately address the climate crisis.

“It [Earth] is being killed by the very same people thought to come to our rescue,” Thunberg said.

“No one is coming to our rescue. When our human rights are being threatened by states and other institutions, it’s our duty to stand up and be the adult in the room and fight for everyone’s human rights.”

Thunberg, who in recent years has shifted her focus towards other areas such as the conflict in Gaza, linked worsening global heating to other calamities such as war in an appearance alongside activists from Nepal, Canada and Australia.

“We are heading towards a future of more genocides and more ecocides and the complete compromise of our basic rights and where basic necessities become luxuries,” she said.

“It’s more clear than ever in spaces like these that the situation could not be any less under control. The planet is not dying, it is being killed.”

The intervention, on the fourth day of the two-week summit, came as world leaders who travelled to the Mediterranean coastal city delivered their own verdicts on the climate crisis and the faltering progress to address it.... READ MORE https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/nov/12/greta-thunberg-cop31-climate-summit

"What do you call a ceasefire when the firing has not ceased? The killings in Gaza decreased when the truce was announced last October, but they did not end. Israel’s strike on Thursday morning on one of the few remaining functioning hospitals, which killed six people and wounded 28 more, was the first on a healthcare facility since then. But it was not an anomaly. About four Palestinians a day have died on average since the ceasefire was declared."

Heavy rainfall has flooded tents housing displaced Palestinians in Gaza.

Photograph: Ali Jadallah/Anadolu/Getty Images

Opinion

Gaza

The Guardian view on Gaza’s misery: don’t let Palestinian deaths mount in this bleak winter

Editorial

The formation of a new Israeli government won’t stop the killing, but sustained international pressure must be applied

What do you call a ceasefire when the firing has not ceased? The killings in Gaza decreased when the truce was announced last October, but they did not end. Israel’s strike on Thursday morning on one of the few remaining functioning hospitals, which killed six people and wounded 28 more, was the first on a healthcare facility since then. But it was not an anomaly. About four Palestinians a day have died on average since the ceasefire was declared.

The Israeli military said that it had struck a Hamas commander and other fighters in the attack on Nasser hospital, without providing evidence. Its record does not inspire confidence in the accuracy of its account. Multiple UN experts and health campaigners have warned of the deliberate targeting of medical facilities and healthcare workers. Israeli military personnel have also described the shockingly high level of civilian deaths tolerated as “collateral damage” in targeting even low-level fighters after the brutal Hamas attacks of 7 October 2023.

Many more Palestinians are dying because of the war. With more than four-fifths of Gaza’s buildings destroyed, storms and the cold are proving deadly, killing at least four children and a woman last weekend. The UN says that 940,000 people are in makeshift shelters in areas at risk of flooding. Sewage is spewing into tents. In desperation, families are risking a return to ruined homes – with some dying in building collapses.

Reconstruction is the real need, but even the absolute basics are lacking: the UN says Israel is blocking 150,000 tents that are ready for use, along with other sorely needed goods, including sanitation equipment and nutrient-dense peanut butter. As an occupying power, Israel has a responsibility under international law to meet the needs of Gaza’s people. Allowing in the aid they desperately need should be the absolute minimum expected of it.... READ MORE https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/nov/12/the-guardian-view-on-gazas-misery-dont-let-palestinian-deaths-mount-in-this-bleak-winter

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