Senior Palestinian Claims Jesus Was An Islamic Martyr

According to a senior Palestinian leader, Jesus was not only a Palestinian, but he was also the first Islamic martyr. The claim was posted on the Facebook account of Tawfiq Tirawi, a senior Palestinian leader and a Fatah Central Committee member, on December 24th. He wrote, “This is blessed Christmas, The birthday of our lord Jesus the Messiah, the first Palestinian and the first Shahid [Islamic Martyr],” and reported by Palestinian Media Watch (PMW). 

PMW also noted that Tirawi’s reference to “our lord Jesus” was not an acceptance of Christianity; instead, Islamic tradition teaches that Jesus was a Muslim who preached Islam. 

This is not the first time a Palestinian has made this point, Mufti Muhammad Hussein, the top religious figure within the PA, stated, “We’re talking about an ongoing chain [of prophets of Islam], from Adam to Muhammad. It’s an ongoing chain, representing the call for monotheism, and the mission of Islam. The prophets were all of the same religion [Islam]… Jesus was born in this land; he lived in this land,” he said. “It is known that he was born in Bethlehem… He also lived in Nazareth, moved to Jerusalem. So he was a Palestinian par excellence… We respect Jesus, we believe in him [as a Muslim prophet], just as we believe in the prophet Muhammad.”

During Christmas week, claims that Jesus was a Palestinian were made several times. Fatah Revolutionary Council member Muwaffaq Matar wrote in the Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida: “If someone could win the Nobel Peace Prize every year forever, it is Palestinian Jesus son of Mary who was born in Bethlehem…”