Across the Holy Land, Christmas festivities have been put on hold. There are 182,000 Christians in Israel, 50,000 in the West Bank and Jerusalem and 1,300 in Gaza, according to the United States Department of State. Most are Palestinians.

Bethlehem is bracing for a subdued Christmas, without the festive lights and customary Christmas tree towering over Manger Square, the Associated Press reported, after officials in Jesus' birthplace decided to forgo the celebrations due to the Israel-Hamas war.

The annual Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem, which is shared among Armenian, Catholic and Orthodox denominations, are a major boon for a city where tourism accounts for 70 percent of its annual income. But its streets are empty this holiday season.

In a joint message, the leaders of the Bishops’ Conference of Indonesia (KWI) and the Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) expressed their shared hope that the spirit of Christmas would inspire Christians across the country to participate in the presidential and legislative elections that were intended to bring welfare to all.

“Therefore, we need to be wise and mature in responding to our differences in political choice, to be mature and wise in facing differences in political choice and to stay alert against the seeds of hatred that are spread just for the sake of victory,” they stated.

In Bethlehem, the mayor and church leaders said they wanted to demonstrate their solidarity with the plight of Palestinians in Gaza. They said religious ceremonies, including Midnight Mass at the Church of the Nativity, would be held with a special emphasis on prayers for peace.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu retaliated against Hamas’ attacks on Oct. 7 by ordering his troops to not only punish the Islamic militant group, but also launch what is essentially a genocidal campaign against the population of Gaza. Palestinians who live in the occupied West Bank have also fallen victim to this military operation.

On Christmas Eve, people across the globe will pray for peace to return to Gaza. It is very clear that the Israeli government does not care about world condemnation, and it will continue its bombardment of Gaza until it is satisfied.

This indifference was evident on Wednesday, when Israeli forces shot dead a 16-year-old Palestinian, Mahmoud Muhammad Issa Zaoul, near Bethlehem.

Close to 20,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 50,000 wounded during Israel's air and ground offensive against Hamas, according to Gaza’s official data. More than 85 percent of the territory's 2.3 million people have been displaced and all its hospitals have been destroyed by Israeli strikes.

Indonesian Christians have joined their brethren across the globe in praying for an immediate end to the horror in Gaza. The international community is stunned, but cannot do much to stop the indiscriminate killing because the United States is blindly defending its most important Gulf ally, Israel.

Christmas is a celebration of peace on earth.

In Indonesia, we cannot take security for granted this Christmas, especially because the police, the military and other law enforcement agencies are carrying out their duty to maintain order amid the ongoing campaign season.

Vigilance is imperative, as history over the last two decades shows that terrorist attacks tend to target holiday seasons, including Christmas. Security authorities have also warned of potential threats to next year’s elections following the arrest of several terrorist suspects in recent weeks.

Notwithstanding these external and internal threats, all citizens bear a responsibility to vote in the elections next year and usher in a strong government so Indonesia can overcome future challenges.

Let’s dedicate Christmas 2023 to all those who long for peace, especially Palestinians and all victims of war.

Merry Christmas!