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Palestinian dressed as Santa is held in police raid on Christmas party

The Guardian

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December 26, 2025

Israeli police arrested a Palestinian man dressed as Santa Claus during a raid on a Christmas party in Haifa, a civil rights monitor has said.

- William Christou

Israeli officers closed an event celebrating Christmas on Sunday, confiscating equipment and arresting the Palestinian Santa Claus, as well as a DJ and a street vendor. In a video, police can be seen pushing the men to the ground and handcuffing them as bystanders watched.

The Israeli police said in a statement that the man wearing the Santa Claus costume had resisted arrest and assaulted an officer.

The Mossawa Center, a rights group that supports Palestinian citizens of Israel, said police had used excess force on the men and that the raid on the venue had been done without legal authority.

The arrests came as Palestinians celebrated Christmas across the occupied West Bank and Gaza amid continual restrictions on daily life by Israeli forces.

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