Knesset speaker nixes Christmas tree

Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein (Likud) turned down on Sunday a request from a Hadash Knesset member to place a Christmas tree on prominent display in the parliament’s building.  MK Hanna Sweid (Hadash), sent a letter to the speaker Thursday urging him to order the placing of the Christmas tree “at the entrance [to the Knesset], or in another visible place, as you see fit.” The placement of the tree, he said, would be “a gesture toward Christian members of Knesset and citizens of Israel, and a symbol of [Israel’s] ties to the Christian world generally.”

A Christmas tree made of razor wire and tear gas grenades is displayed in Manger Square, Bethlehem as part of an activist art exhibit, December 21, 2013. The exhibit, titled, "Chic Art + Resistance" is a project by Brazilian-Palestinian artist Sami Musa and activist Mohammed Khatib. Their goal is to use art as a metaphor to talk about the Palestinian struggle against occupation. Tear gas canisters, razor wire, and sound bombs are used to capture the experiences of the activists struggling against the Israeli wall and settlements (Photo: Activestills)

A Christmas tree made of razor wire and tear gas grenades is displayed in Manger Square, Bethlehem as part of an activist art exhibit, December 21, 2013. The exhibit, titled, “Chic Art + Resistance” is a project by Brazilian-Palestinian artist Sami Musa and activist Mohammed Khatib. Their goal is to use art as a metaphor to talk about the Palestinian struggle against the occupation. Tear gas canisters, razor wire, and sound bombs are used to capture the experiences of the activists struggling against the Israeli wall and settlements (Photo: Activestills)

On Sunday, Edelstein’s office announced he had declined Sweid’s request. “In response to your request that the Knesset erect at the House’s entrance a Christmas tree in honor of Christmas and the civil New Year, I respectfully reply that nothing prevents you from placing a tree in your office, or for your Knesset faction to place one in the faction room, but I do not believe it appropriate to order the erection of a Christmas tree as you requested,” Edelstein wrote.

“I’m very disappointed at this response,” Sweid told The Times of Israel website Sunday. “I don’t need to ask permission to place a Christmas tree in my private room. The expectation was that the speaker would respond to the core of my request, to highlight the pluralism and multiculturalism of the Knesset as an institution that represents all parts of the population.” He lamented that Edelstein’s response “didn’t even explain the decision,””and suggested the speaker faced pressure from right-wing Jewish groups. “I heard a Jewish Home MK say the Christmas tree symbolizes Christian persecution of Jews throughout time. I think that’s foolishness, it’s crazy,” Sweid said. “You can’t claim that a Christmas tree is against the State of Israel. Is Israel Jewish in the religious sense? Are we the Jewish Iran? If it’s opposition to a Christmas tree as a national symbol, [Edelstein should know] the Christmas tree is a symbol around the world of happiness, of what they call in America the ‘holiday season.'” On Thursday, Sweid noted in a conversation with The Times of Israel that the Knesset sometimes recognizes non-Jewish religious events and symbols, including hosting an annual Iftar meal, a ceremonial feast following the Muslim holiday of Ramadan.

In his request last week Sweid said that putting up a tree would send a message of opposition to “price tag” vandalism targeting Christian sites. Sweid had also argued that a tree could have meaning to Israel Jews as well. Many Israel Jews born overseas put up a tree during the holidays in their countries of origin, he said. He was apparently referring to the Russian custom of putting up a New Year’s tree. The tree is similar to the traditional Christmas tree put up in many Western countries in appearance, but is not linked to the Christian holiday.

Last year the city of Jerusalem caused a controversy when it placed a Christmas tree at the Jaffa Gate plaza, just outside the Old City. The haredi-religious Shas party held a protest rally to oppose the move.

Related:

Hadash MK calls for Knesset Christmas tree