'Jesus is Palestinian' billboard in Times Square this week placed by Arab-American rights group

A billboard placed this week in Times Square by the American-Arab Discrimination Committee claims that Jesus was a Palestinian, although the modern State of Palestine wasn't established until nearly 2,000 years after Jesus' birth.

"Jesus is Palestinian, Merry Christmas," reads one billboard from the committee, which on its website describes itself as the biggest Arab-American grassroots organization in the United States. 

In a recent post on Instagram, the committee said that its billboards - another quotes the Quran about Jesus - were to bring awareness to the conflict between Gaza and Israel. 

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In October, President Donald Trump orchestrated a peace deal between Gaza and Israel and facilitated the return of Israeli hostages taken during the Oct. 7 terror attack.

One slide in the Instagram post read, "As Gaza endures genocide, and the birthplace of Jesus is under siege and occupation, we reclaim a fundamental truth in the heart of Times Square. In a season of peace, we speak for those who've been denied peace." 

"Beyond consumerism, we center unity, heritage and Palestine," another slide in the post read. 

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According to the post, the billboards are meant to "Reclaim the truth, honoring the Palestinian refugee born in Bethlehem," combat the "ongoing erasure of Palestinian identity, culture, and rootedness to the land," call attention to "reverence" for Jesus in Islam, and to assert truth and reject silence. 

Another slide, also featured on one of the billboards, quotes the Quran, which reads, "Remember when the angels proclaimed, 'O Mary! Allah gives you good news of a Word from Him, his name will be the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary; honoured in this world and the Hereafter, and he will be one of those nearest to Allah.'" 

The Instagram post discussing the billboards reads, "Our two NY billboards are an act of cultural resilience: 'Jesus is Palestinian. Merry Christmas.' The Quranic verse (3:45) announcing the blessed birth of Jesus, with 'Merry Christmas' in English and Arabic."

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Modern-day Bethlehem, revered as the birthplace of Jesus Christ, is located in the West Bank and has a Muslim-majority population. The city at the time of the birth of Jesus was located in Judea. Bethlehem's Christian population as a percentage of the area has dwindled considerably since the 1950s. 

The State of Palestine, which is not recognized by the United States and has non-member status in the United Nations, was established in 1988.

In a statement shared with Fox News Digital, Adeb Ayoub, national executive director of the organization, said, "There will be disagreements and debates about names. However there is one thing that is indisputable - Israel has been killing Christians in the birthplace of Jesus with impunity for decades. Yesterday was the first time Christmas was celebrated in Bethlehem for the first time in 3 years. American taxpayers have been paying for the persecution of Christians by the [sic] Israel, and they are waking up to that fact."

Ayoub added, "Of note, the Foreign Ministry of Israel also purchased ad space on that same billboard to counter our messaging, so American taxpayers are paying for the killing of Christians, and for the propaganda campaign to cover the atrocities by Israel. The coverage by media outlets about the killing of Christians by Israel has been non-existent. However, put a billboard up in Times Square and the coverage is there. Sadly, this billboard is the only way media outlets will discuss Christians in the Holy Land. Thank you for taking time to write about Christians living in the Holy Land. God Bless all people of faith, and God Bless the United States of America."