Palestinian envoy calls Bible a ‘Palestinian book’ and meets Queen Elizabeth II
Palestinian Authority envoy Husam Zomlot said the Bible is a “Palestinian book” and later told Queen Elizabeth II he comes from “Christmas Land,” referring to Bethlehem.
At the Bradford Literature Festival, Husam Zomlot, the Palestinian Authority’s envoy to the United Kingdom, claimed that Palestinian history has been appropriated and described the Bible as a “Palestinian book” rewritten against Palestinians, adding that Palestinians are “the original Christians.” He later recounted a private audience with Queen Elizabeth II, arranged by the British Foreign Office, where he said he hails from “Christmas Land,” meaning Bethlehem, and presented Jesus as a gift from his people.
Why it matters
The envoy’s remarks challenge common views of the Bible and could strain diplomatic and interfaith relations.
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