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NEW DELHI: Bethlehem — the biblical birthplace of Jesus in West Bank — has turned into a ghost town this Christmas that is empty of any joy or celebration.
Christmas Eve celebrations in the historic city were called off due to the Israel-Hamas war.
The usual festive charm of Manger Square was absent this year, with the sparkling lights and the iconic Christmas tree noticeably absent, AP reported.
The vibrant energy that typically fills the square, characterized by the bustling crowds of foreign tourists and lively youth marching bands that annually mark the holiday, was also noticeably missing.
Instead, the square was patrolled by dozens of Palestinian security forces, presenting an unusual and empty scene.
“The city is empty from happiness, from joy, from kids, from Santa. There is no celebration this year,” a local resident was quoted as saying by BBC.
The halt in Christmas celebrations also dealt a significant blow to the town’s economy. Bethlehem heavily relies on tourism, which typically contributes about 70% of its income, primarily during the Christmas season.
Due to the cancellation of flights to Israel by major airlines, there’s been a sharp decline in foreign visitors. Reports from local officials indicate that more than 70 hotels in Bethlehem were compelled to shut down, resulting in thousands of people losing their jobs.
Amid muted celebrations, the gift shops were slow to open on Christmas Eve, although a few did once the rain had stopped pouring down. There were few visitors, however.
“We can’t justify putting out a tree and celebrating as normal, when some people (in Gaza) don’t even have houses to go to,” Ala’a Salameh, one of the owners of Afteem Restaurant, a family-owned falafel restaurant just steps from the square, told AP.
A Father at a local church told BBC that the city feels like a shadow of itself.
“I’ve been a priest in this church for 12 years. I was born in Bethlehem, and I’ve never seen it like this – even during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We have brothers and sisters in Gaza – this is what makes it difficult to celebrate… But it’s good to be united in prayers,” he said.
More than 20,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 50,000 injured during Israel’s air and ground offensive against Gaza’s Hamas rulers, according to health officials there, while some 85% of the territory’s 2.3 million residents have been displaced.
The war was triggered by Hamas’ deadly assault October 7 on southern Israel in which militants killed about 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and took more than 240 hostages.
The Gaza war has been accompanied by a surge in West Bank violence, with some 300 Palestinians killed by Israeli fire.
The fighting has affected life across the Israeli-occupied territory.
Since October 7, access to Bethlehem and other Palestinian towns in the West Bank has been difficult, with long lines of motorists waiting to pass military checkpoints.
The restrictions have also prevented tens of thousands of Palestinians from exiting the territory to work in Israel.
Christmas Eve celebrations in the historic city were called off due to the Israel-Hamas war.
The usual festive charm of Manger Square was absent this year, with the sparkling lights and the iconic Christmas tree noticeably absent, AP reported.
The vibrant energy that typically fills the square, characterized by the bustling crowds of foreign tourists and lively youth marching bands that annually mark the holiday, was also noticeably missing.
Instead, the square was patrolled by dozens of Palestinian security forces, presenting an unusual and empty scene.
“The city is empty from happiness, from joy, from kids, from Santa. There is no celebration this year,” a local resident was quoted as saying by BBC.
The halt in Christmas celebrations also dealt a significant blow to the town’s economy. Bethlehem heavily relies on tourism, which typically contributes about 70% of its income, primarily during the Christmas season.
Due to the cancellation of flights to Israel by major airlines, there’s been a sharp decline in foreign visitors. Reports from local officials indicate that more than 70 hotels in Bethlehem were compelled to shut down, resulting in thousands of people losing their jobs.
Amid muted celebrations, the gift shops were slow to open on Christmas Eve, although a few did once the rain had stopped pouring down. There were few visitors, however.
“We can’t justify putting out a tree and celebrating as normal, when some people (in Gaza) don’t even have houses to go to,” Ala’a Salameh, one of the owners of Afteem Restaurant, a family-owned falafel restaurant just steps from the square, told AP.
A Father at a local church told BBC that the city feels like a shadow of itself.
“I’ve been a priest in this church for 12 years. I was born in Bethlehem, and I’ve never seen it like this – even during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We have brothers and sisters in Gaza – this is what makes it difficult to celebrate… But it’s good to be united in prayers,” he said.
More than 20,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 50,000 injured during Israel’s air and ground offensive against Gaza’s Hamas rulers, according to health officials there, while some 85% of the territory’s 2.3 million residents have been displaced.
The war was triggered by Hamas’ deadly assault October 7 on southern Israel in which militants killed about 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and took more than 240 hostages.
The Gaza war has been accompanied by a surge in West Bank violence, with some 300 Palestinians killed by Israeli fire.
The fighting has affected life across the Israeli-occupied territory.
Since October 7, access to Bethlehem and other Palestinian towns in the West Bank has been difficult, with long lines of motorists waiting to pass military checkpoints.
The restrictions have also prevented tens of thousands of Palestinians from exiting the territory to work in Israel.
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