🔗 Share this article Bethlehem's Holiday Tree Lighting Illuminates Once Again Since the Outbreak of the Gaza War For two years during the Gaza war, every festive public event marking the holiday season were cancelled in Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank. This city is believed to be where the faithful hold the birth of Jesus occurred. But, after the recent ceasefire, this sacred city determined that now celebrations would make a comeback, as symbolised by the illumination of its customary, giant Christmas tree before the ancient Church of the Nativity. "It's been a bad two years of silence; no Christmas, no jobs, no work," states the city's mayor Maher Canawati. "Our community survives from tourism and tourism had fallen to zero." He accepts that the decision to restart festivities faced some controversy, given the ongoing hardship within Gaza – including for those in its small Christian population, who often have relatives in Bethlehem. "Certain voices argue it's not appropriate and others say it is fitting," the mayor notes. "But deep inside my heart, I felt this constituted the right thing to do because Christmas must never be stopped or cancelled. This represents the light of hope for us." A Spark of Festivity Reappears Residents – both Christians and Muslims – take photographs before the tree decorated with gold and red ornaments in Manger Square. They are joined by a small number of foreign tourists. Brightly coloured lights now adorn city streets and there are signs advertising holiday markets and children's parties. "We're very happy to see the tree, first of all, and to welcome visitors to Bethlehem and to have the chance to celebrate Christmas in its authentic spirit," says Bethlehem designer Nadya Hazboun. "This is where it all started, so this is where we can convey the message to the world about what Christmas truly should be about. And this year, if the season is calm, I sincerely hope it will bring a nice message for the entire world." Economic Prospects and Difficulties Nearby towns including Beit Jala and Beit Sahour also intend to illuminate Christmas trees in the coming days. Hotels – which have stood largely empty for the past two years – are seeing a rise in reservations from Palestinian citizens of Israel as well as certain international tourists. A visitor from Russia, named Angelica, is on her second pilgrimage to the Holy Land. "I think every person should visit at minimum one time in their life," she states. "I wish a lot of people will soon come back because it's sad without many tourists. The only thing that's good is there are no lengthy queues – one can visit and experience more. When I came before you had to wait in line for hours minimum." Currently, the gift shops scattered throughout Bethlehem experience scant trade, and outside the pale walls of the Church of the Nativity, which date back to the 4th century, guides largely stand idle. Prior to the Gaza war, it was typically packed with people. "Bethlehem is a tourist city; absent visitors there is no livelihood," laments one guide Hamza. "We hope to have people coming back like before: from Europe, the Middle Eastern region, the Americas, Latin American and everywhere. We start with lighting the tree, and then we will wait." The Lingering Economic Toll Over the last two years, unemployment has skyrocketed in Bethlehem. Following the deadly Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel in October 2023 that sparked the conflict, tens of thousands of Palestinian workers from the West Bank region have been prevented from entering Israel and Israeli settlements for work. At the same time, public servants have received just a portion of their wages by the Palestinian Authority (PA) – that administers areas within the West Bank. The PA relies on tax income gathered by Israel, which it is withholding – to the tune of $1.76 billion, as reported by a UN agency. Israel says it is holding the funds because the Authority provides payments to incarcerated Palestinians that incentivise violence against Israelis. The PA – which has been under global pressure to make reforms – says it has recently changed its welfare system. An Austere Holiday The bleak economic situation implies that for numerous Christian Palestinians, even though there are now public events as well as religious ceremonies, it will be an austere Christmas. On the periphery of Manger Square, a few customers wait to buy sizzling balls of falafel from a row of shops. "We're preparing for the holiday following one of our hardest periods as Palestinians and as Christians," says Alaa Salameh, who runs a restaurant called Afteem, a long-established family-run eatery that has witnessed its revenues collapse. He says that recently numerous families could not even afford falafel – an inexpensive, traditional snack. "Christians will try to celebrate but based on their situation," Mr Salameh expects. "An individual wishing to bring their children to a festival or a show or whatever, he doesn't have the money to spend for this celebration." Prayers for Calm and Recovery Within the grotto beneath the church, a local woman follows a tour group from India, stooping down by a silver star which marks the location where tradition states that Jesus was born and igniting a light nearby. Amid ongoing high tensions throughout the area, people in Bethlehem state they are hoping for tranquility – and hoping for visitors to return to the place which is thought to be Christmas began.
For two years during the Gaza war, every festive public event marking the holiday season were cancelled in Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank. This city is believed to be where the faithful hold the birth of Jesus occurred. But, after the recent ceasefire, this sacred city determined that now celebrations would make a comeback, as symbolised by the illumination of its customary, giant Christmas tree before the ancient Church of the Nativity. "It's been a bad two years of silence; no Christmas, no jobs, no work," states the city's mayor Maher Canawati. "Our community survives from tourism and tourism had fallen to zero." He accepts that the decision to restart festivities faced some controversy, given the ongoing hardship within Gaza – including for those in its small Christian population, who often have relatives in Bethlehem. "Certain voices argue it's not appropriate and others say it is fitting," the mayor notes. "But deep inside my heart, I felt this constituted the right thing to do because Christmas must never be stopped or cancelled. This represents the light of hope for us." A Spark of Festivity Reappears Residents – both Christians and Muslims – take photographs before the tree decorated with gold and red ornaments in Manger Square. They are joined by a small number of foreign tourists. Brightly coloured lights now adorn city streets and there are signs advertising holiday markets and children's parties. "We're very happy to see the tree, first of all, and to welcome visitors to Bethlehem and to have the chance to celebrate Christmas in its authentic spirit," says Bethlehem designer Nadya Hazboun. "This is where it all started, so this is where we can convey the message to the world about what Christmas truly should be about. And this year, if the season is calm, I sincerely hope it will bring a nice message for the entire world." Economic Prospects and Difficulties Nearby towns including Beit Jala and Beit Sahour also intend to illuminate Christmas trees in the coming days. Hotels – which have stood largely empty for the past two years – are seeing a rise in reservations from Palestinian citizens of Israel as well as certain international tourists. A visitor from Russia, named Angelica, is on her second pilgrimage to the Holy Land. "I think every person should visit at minimum one time in their life," she states. "I wish a lot of people will soon come back because it's sad without many tourists. The only thing that's good is there are no lengthy queues – one can visit and experience more. When I came before you had to wait in line for hours minimum." Currently, the gift shops scattered throughout Bethlehem experience scant trade, and outside the pale walls of the Church of the Nativity, which date back to the 4th century, guides largely stand idle. Prior to the Gaza war, it was typically packed with people. "Bethlehem is a tourist city; absent visitors there is no livelihood," laments one guide Hamza. "We hope to have people coming back like before: from Europe, the Middle Eastern region, the Americas, Latin American and everywhere. We start with lighting the tree, and then we will wait." The Lingering Economic Toll Over the last two years, unemployment has skyrocketed in Bethlehem. Following the deadly Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel in October 2023 that sparked the conflict, tens of thousands of Palestinian workers from the West Bank region have been prevented from entering Israel and Israeli settlements for work. At the same time, public servants have received just a portion of their wages by the Palestinian Authority (PA) – that administers areas within the West Bank. The PA relies on tax income gathered by Israel, which it is withholding – to the tune of $1.76 billion, as reported by a UN agency. Israel says it is holding the funds because the Authority provides payments to incarcerated Palestinians that incentivise violence against Israelis. The PA – which has been under global pressure to make reforms – says it has recently changed its welfare system. An Austere Holiday The bleak economic situation implies that for numerous Christian Palestinians, even though there are now public events as well as religious ceremonies, it will be an austere Christmas. On the periphery of Manger Square, a few customers wait to buy sizzling balls of falafel from a row of shops. "We're preparing for the holiday following one of our hardest periods as Palestinians and as Christians," says Alaa Salameh, who runs a restaurant called Afteem, a long-established family-run eatery that has witnessed its revenues collapse. He says that recently numerous families could not even afford falafel – an inexpensive, traditional snack. "Christians will try to celebrate but based on their situation," Mr Salameh expects. "An individual wishing to bring their children to a festival or a show or whatever, he doesn't have the money to spend for this celebration." Prayers for Calm and Recovery Within the grotto beneath the church, a local woman follows a tour group from India, stooping down by a silver star which marks the location where tradition states that Jesus was born and igniting a light nearby. Amid ongoing high tensions throughout the area, people in Bethlehem state they are hoping for tranquility – and hoping for visitors to return to the place which is thought to be Christmas began.