Christmas in Bethlehem has been somber this year, as many in the West Bank do not want to celebrate the holiday amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian terrorist Hamas in Gaza.
The city, traditionally filled with festive activities, lacked its usual Christmas tree, musical performances with drums and bagpipes, and the anticipated countdown to the lighting of the main square tree.
“Bethlehem is the capital of Christmas. It’s supposed to be the best time of the year. None of that is happening because we’re mourning,” said Rev. Munther Isaac, pastor of Bethlehem’s Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church, in an interview with NBC News.
A nativity scene near the altar where Isaac delivers his sermons made a gesture of the conflict by featuring a baby Jesus wrapped in a traditional Palestinian keffiyeh, placed on a pile of rubble. The display was intended to symbolize the Palestinian lives lost during the conflict.
“We see Jesus in every child pulled from under the rubble in Gaza,” Isaac said.
The war has also significantly impacted Bethlehem's economy, which heavily relies on tourism. With pilgrims and tourists avoiding the region due to the ongoing war, local businesses are struggling.
“Honestly, it’s a desert,” explained Rony Tabash, whose family has operated a gift shop near the Church of the Nativity. He also revealed to NBC News that he hadn’t made a sale in two months.
According to the Associated Press, Bethlehem’s annual Christmas celebrations, shared by Armenian, Catholic, and Orthodox Christian communities, are typically a financial boon for the city. Tourism accounts for 70 percent of Bethlehem’s yearly income, but this year, the streets are nearly empty.
Christians remain a small minority in the region, with approximately 182,000 living in Israel, 50,000 in the West Bank, and a mere 1,300 in Gaza, according to the US State Department.
