This Christmas, Bethlehem feels muted. Traditionally vibrant celebrations have faded as war in Gaza casts a long shadow. Palestinian scouts marched quietly, devoid of drums and bagpipes. The iconic Christmas tree remains absent from the main square.
Bethlehem, heavily reliant on tourism, grapples with economic despair. Few visitors come to the West Bank city, deepening struggles that began with the pandemic. “It’s a desert,” said Rony Tabash, a shopkeeper whose family business has seen no sales for months.
Faith leaders, like Rev. Munther Isaac, pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church, adapt solemnly. A keffiyeh-clad baby Jesus rests on rubble in their Nativity scene, symbolizing the many Palestinian children lost in Gaza. “We see Jesus in every child pulled from the rubble,” Isaac said.
The conflict’s toll weighs on Bethlehem’s Christian community. An Israeli-built wall limits growth, forcing many young Christians to leave. “This is beyond the dangerous point,” Isaac warned.
Elderly residents feel the anguish too. Nuha Tarazi, a 79-year-old widow, refrained from putting up a Christmas tree, mourning her family’s suffering in Gaza. Two of her siblings shelter in Gaza’s Holy Family church amidst relentless airstrikes.
Despite the hardships, hope flickers. In a rare phone call, Tarazi’s sister Samhiaa urged her to celebrate: “Rejoice as much as you can. Rejoice.”
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