Diplomatic Inside- Mirna Fahmy

Though Christmas Festive is about happiness and gatherings, sorrow still can crestfall it.

“Put a Christmas tree in place to detect any terrorist intention.” That’s what has been all over social media after the latest Christmas incidents that happened in many countries in the West and in the Middle East.

The latest and the most prominent that shocked and grieved many was in the mother country of the Christmas tree tradition, Germany. A tragic incident occurred at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, on December 20, 2024, when a driver rammed an SUV into a crowded area at 7 pm, resulting in the deaths of five people, including a nine-year-old child, and injuring over 200 others. Approximately 41 individuals sustained serious injuries during this attack, which unfolded just before the holiday festivities were set to peak.

The driver has been identified as Taleb Jawad al-Abdulmohsen, a 50-year-old psychiatrist originally from Saudi Arabia. He has lived in Germany since 2006 and was reportedly on medical leave from his job at an addiction treatment facility. Following the incident, he turned himself in to the police and is now facing multiple charges, including five counts of murder and numerous counts of attempted murder.

Abdulmohsen has been promoting himself on his X account as “anti-Islam” and an atheist. He fled Saudi Arabia for Germany in 2006 and was granted asylum as he feared persecution over his rejection of Islam. On his personal X account, Abdulmohsen has posted that Germany wants to Islamise Europe, expressing his support for the far-right groups that have risen in Europe recently, alongside many Arabs and former Muslims who support the far-right and the pro-Israelis that are against immigration policies.

German authorities said on Saturday that a potential motivation for the attack was his belief that Berlin was mistreating Saudi refugees. Another explanation from the Washington Post, quoting German officials who searched the home of the perpetrator of the ramming incident, believes that he was under the influence of drugs.

The German weekly newsmagazine Der Spiegel says that Saudi Arabia had previously sent three warnings about the perpetrator of the Magdeburg attack, but Germany ignored them.

The deputy head of a security committee in the parliament announced he would convene a special session asking why previous warnings about the danger posed by the suspect were not acted on. 

Again, the immigration topic has been brought up widely on social media by those who are zealous to fire many immigrants, like the far-right wing, who are known as conservatives as well. A couple of days later, after Magdeburg’s incident, an immigrant from Guatemala has set fire to an American woman alive in one of the Metro’s subways in New York. Tesla CEO and X owner Elon Musk, who has been supporting anti-immigrant policies and political leaders from the right wing like Donald Trump, has posted on his X account, “Enough is enough.”

Germany’s immigration issue:

During Angela Merkel’s chancellorship from 2005 to 2021, Germany welcomed over 1.5 million asylum seekers, particularly during the 2015 refugee crisis, according to Oxford University Press’s Oxford Academic. This influx was largely driven by the civil war in Syria and conflicts in other regions, prompting Merkel to adopt an open-door policy, famously stating “Wir schaffen das” (“We can do this”) to convey her commitment to helping refugees. The Integration Law of 2016 facilitated early access to integration programs for asylum seekers with good prospects of staying in Germany, emphasising the importance of learning the language and finding employment.

Besides the humanitarian aspect, economic necessity was part of Merkel’s plan. Germany faced demographic challenges, including an ageing population and a declining workforce. Merkel’s government acknowledged that skilled immigrants were essential for sustaining economic growth and filling labour shortages in various sectors. Because of that, her era saw a significant increase in employment, with about 5 million new jobs created. The unemployment rate dropped from around 11% in 2005 to approximately 3.5% by 2021, reflecting successful integration of immigrants into the workforce and effective labour market policies.

However, the crime aspect rose in correlation with immigration. In 2023, police recorded approximately 2.3 million criminal suspects, marking the highest number since 2016, the EU-co-financed site Info-Migrants stated. Among these, the site highlighted that over 920,000 cases involved non-German suspects, which has fuelled discussions about “Ausländerkriminalität” (foreign criminality).

Succeeding Merkel, Olaf Scholz has been in charge since 2021. Because of many internal political conflicts and economic stagnation, Scholz faced political upheaval following a no-confidence vote that he lost on December 16, 2024, which has triggered early elections in Germany. This means he is a regular employee until the new leader is elected.

Attention is rolling out for the far-right and right-wing populist political party Alternative for Germany (AFD) in Germany. Elon Musk wrote on his social media platform X: “Only the AfD can save Germany.”

He reposted a video by a German right-wing influencer, Naomi Seibt, who criticised Friedrich Merz, the leader of the conservative Christian Democrats, who has the best chance of becoming the next German chancellor.

Days before Christmas, 20,000 Germans have gathered at the central square in Magdeburg after an appeal from the AfD party to take to streets against Germany’s open doors immigration policies. The car-ramming attack against the Christmas market has people calling for mass deportations.

Other Christmas incidents in the Middle East:

A video posted on social media showed the tree on fire in the main square of Suqaylabiyah, a Christian-majority town in central Syria.

The primary Islamist group that spearheaded the rebellion that overthrew President Bashar al-Assad, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), said that foreign militants had been arrested in connection with the incident.

Representatives of HTS have pledged to defend the liberties and rights of Syria’s religious and ethnic minorities.

In response, hundreds of protests have broken out in Syria over the burning of a Christmas tree, prompting calls for the new Islamist authorities to take steps to protect minorities. The masses were carried out in the churches on December 24 for the Catholics under severe military auspices to evade any aggressive acts. Still the Orthodox in the Middle East and all over the world will celebrate Christmas on January 7.

Authorities in Benghazi, located in eastern Libya, have issued a decree prohibiting all Christmas festivities and associated activities, deeming them as “illegal” this year. The police in Benghazi have taken physical measures to enforce this prohibition, confiscating any items linked to New Year celebrations from commercial establishments.

Shopkeepers and vendors have been cautioned against vending Christmas-themed goods, with a stern warning that those found selling such items in the marketplace will be subject to legal repercussions.

In the town of Bethlehem where Jesus was born, Christmas decorations are down again this year. The town is under the Palestinian authority and the people didn’t want to celebrate when hundreds of people are dying in Gaza because of the Israeli-Hamas war that started a year ago. According to reports and stories by BBC, France 24, NBC and more, all the interviewees said that they want to stand in solidarity with their siblings in Gaza.

In Gaza, there were masses carried out in the Catholic churches that celebrate on December 24 and 25, but some of them are either in rubble or a refugee shelter for thousands of fugitives. 

In the midst of Christmas cheer, sorrow casts its shadow, fueled by tragedy and discord. The Magdeburg attack, Middle Eastern incidents, and immigration debates highlight ongoing global tensions and divisions. These events underscore the complexities surrounding cultural and social dynamics during a season traditionally associated with joy and unity.