This aerial image reveals the scene on the Manger Sq. exterior the Church of the Nativity within the biblical metropolis of Bethlehem within the occupied West Financial institution on December 23, 2024. | Photograph by HAZEM BADER / AFP
BETHLEHEM, West Financial institution — The Nativity Retailer in Manger Sq. has offered handmade olive wooden carvings and spiritual gadgets to individuals visiting the normal birthplace of Jesus since 1927. However as Bethlehem prepares to mark its second Christmas beneath the shadow of the battle in Gaza, there are virtually no vacationers, leaving the Nativity Retailer and different companies uncertain of how for much longer they will maintain on.
For the second straight 12 months, Bethlehem’s Christmas celebrations might be somber and muted, in deference to ongoing battle in Gaza. There might be no large Christmas tree in Manger Sq., no raucous scout marching bands, no public lights twinkling and only a few public decorations or shows.
“Final 12 months earlier than Christmas, we had extra hope, however now once more we’re near Christmas and we don’t have something,” mentioned Rony Tabash, the third-generation proprietor of Nativity Retailer.
READ MORE:
Pope once more condemns ‘cruelty’ of Israeli strikes on Gaza
North Gaza air strikes convey chaos to close by hospital
In wartime Bethlehem, Christmas pleasure onerous to seek out
Israel’s battle in opposition to Hamas has been raging for practically 15 months, and there nonetheless is not any finish in sight. Repeated ceasefire efforts have stalled.
For the reason that battle started, tourism to Israel and the Israeli-occupied West Financial institution has plummeted. And after Israel barred entry to many of the 150,000 Palestinians within the West Financial institution who had jobs in Israel, the Palestinian economic system contracted by 25% up to now 12 months.
The yearly Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem — shared amongst Armenian, Catholic and Orthodox denominations — are often main boons for town, the place tourism accounts for 70% of its yearly revenue. However the streets are empty this season.
Tabash mentioned he continues to open the shop daily, however usually a whole week will go by with no sale. Tabash works with greater than 25 native households who create hand-carved spiritual gadgets out of the area’s storied olive wooden. However with no consumers, work has dried up for these households.
Numerous room on the inn
The variety of guests to town plunged from a pre-COVID excessive of round 2 million guests per 12 months in 2019 to fewer than 100,000 guests in 2024, mentioned Jiries Qumsiyeh, the spokesperson for the Palestinian tourism ministry.
In keeping with the Christmas story, Mary was compelled to provide start to Jesus in a steady as a result of there was no room on the inn. In the present day, practically all of Bethlehem’s 5,500 resort rooms are empty.
Town’s resort occupancy charge plunged from round 80% in early 2023 to round 3% in the present day, mentioned Elias Al Arja, the top of Bethlehem Hoteliers Affiliation. At his personal resort, the Bethlehem Lodge, he mentioned he has laid off a workers of greater than 120 individuals and retains simply 5 staff.
Town hosts greater than 100 shops and 450 workshops coping with conventional Palestinian handicraft, Qumsiyeh mentioned. However only a week earlier than Christmas, when town ought to be bursting with guests, Manger Sq. was principally empty save for just a few locals promoting espresso and tea. Solely two of the eight shops in the principle drag of the sq. had been open for enterprise.
Qumsiyeh worries that when the battle ends and tourism ultimately rebounds, most of the households which have handed down conventional abilities for generations will not be making the gadgets that mirror Palestinian heritage and tradition.
Many are leaving the area solely. “We have now witnessed a really excessive charge of emigration because the starting of the aggression, particularly amongst these working within the tourism sector,” mentioned Qumsiyeh.
A Christmas with out pleasure
Virtually 500 households have left Bethlehem up to now 12 months, mentioned Mayor Anton Salman. And people are simply the households who moved overseas with official residency visas. Many others have moved overseas on momentary vacationer visas and are working illegally, and it’s unclear if they are going to return, Salman mentioned.
Round half of the inhabitants within the Bethlehem space, together with close by villages, works in both tourism or in jobs in Israel.
The unemployment charge in Bethlehem is roughly 50%, mentioned Salman. Unemployment throughout the West Financial institution is round 30%, in keeping with the Palestinian Financial system Ministry.
Canceling Christmas festivities is a method to attract consideration to the troublesome scenario in Bethlehem and throughout the Palestinian territories, mentioned Salman. “This 12 months we wish to present the world that the Palestinian persons are nonetheless struggling and so they haven’t the enjoyment that everyone else on the earth having,” mentioned Salman.
It’s one other blow to the Holy Land’s dwindling inhabitants over the last decade resulting from emigration and a low birthrate.
Christians are a small share of the inhabitants. There are about 182,000 in Israel, 50,000 within the West Financial institution and Jerusalem and 1,300 in Gaza, in keeping with the U.S. State Division.
Discovering the sunshine within the evening
Father Issa Thaljieh, the parish priest of the Greek Orthodox Church within the Church of the Nativity, mentioned many households are struggling financially, leaving them unable to pay hire or faculty charges, a lot much less purchase Christmas presents or rejoice the vacation in different methods. The church’s social companies have tried to assist, however the wants are nice, he mentioned.
Thaljieh mentioned his Christmas message this 12 months centered on encouraging Palestinians in Bethlehem to remain regardless of the challenges.
“A church with out Christians just isn’t a church,” he mentioned, as staff hand-polished the ornate brass candelabras within the cavernous, empty church every week earlier than the vacation.
“The sunshine that was born when Jesus Christ was born right here is the sunshine that strikes past darkness, so we have now to attend, we have now to be affected person, we have now to wish quite a bit, and we have now to stick with our roots as a result of our roots are in Bethlehem,” he mentioned.
Some households are discovering methods to convey again pockets of pleasure.
Bethlehem resident Nihal Bandak, 39, gave into her three kids’s requests to have a Christmas tree this 12 months, after not having one final 12 months. Adorning the tree is the favourite a part of Christmas of her youngest daughter, 8-year-old Stephanie.
Mathew Bandak, 11 was thrilled his household introduced again a few of their traditions, but additionally torn.
“I used to be comfortable as a result of we get to brighten and rejoice, however persons are in Gaza who don’t have something to rejoice,” he mentioned.
Rony Tabash, the third-generation proprietor of Nativity Retailer, mentioned he’ll proceed to open the shop, as a result of it’s a part of his household’s historical past.
“We aren’t feeling Christmas, however in the long run, Christmas is in our hearts,” he mentioned, including that the whole metropolis was praying for a ceasefire and peace. “We have now a giant religion that at all times, after we see Christmas, it should give us the sunshine within the evening.”
Learn Subsequent
