The Israeli Consulate in New York has criticized New York City First Lady Rama Duwaji after reports that she co-hosted a retreat honoring Mary (Maryam, peace be upon her) as a “Palestinian woman giving birth under occupation.”
The Consulate argued that Jesus (Isa, peace be upon him) was Jewish, born in Judea to his Jewish mother Mary, and claimed that referring to him as Palestinian or Muslim distorts history.
An Islamic perspective provides important context.
Islam affirms that Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace be upon him) and his mother Maryam (peace be upon her) were from the Children of Israel. However, Islam also teaches that every prophet submitted to Allah, making them Muslims in the literal sense of the word. While Prophet Muhammad ﷺ brought the final revelation of Islam, the message of worshipping One God was preached by all prophets before him.
Regarding the use of the term “Palestinian,” many Palestinians and others use it as a geographic and symbolic reference to the land where Mary and Jesus lived. Bethlehem—where Muslims and Christians believe Jesus was born—is located in the occupied West Bank, part of the Palestinian territories. The United Nations and the International Court of Justice continue to refer to the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Gaza as occupied Palestinian territory under international law.
For many, describing Mary as a “Palestinian woman under occupation” is not an attempt to deny her Jewish heritage, but rather to draw a connection between her homeland and the ongoing reality experienced by Palestinians today.
Muslims around the world deeply revere Maryam and Isa (peace be upon them both). The Qur’an dedicates an entire chapter—Surah Maryam—to the mother of Jesus, and honors her as one of the greatest women in history.
What are your thoughts on the historical, religious, and modern-day significance of this discussion?