Bethlehem's Christmas Tree Lighting Illuminates for the First Time After the Outbreak of the Gaza War

For two years amid the conflict in Gaza, all public celebrations marking the holiday season were called off within the city of Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank. This city is believed to be where Christians believe the birth of Jesus occurred.

But, after a recent truce, this sacred city determined that this year the festivities would make a comeback, as represented by the lighting of its customary, giant Christmas tree before the ancient Church of the Nativity.

"We have endured a bad two years without celebration; no Christmas, no employment, no work," states the city's mayor Maher Canawati. "We're all living here from tourism and the tourist trade was down to zero."

He accepts that the idea of resuming celebrations faced some controversy, as suffering continues in Gaza – including for members of the small Christian population, who often have relatives in Bethlehem.

"Certain voices argue it is unsuitable while others contend it's appropriate," Mr Canawati explains. "But deep inside my heart, I believed this constituted the correct action to take because Christmas should never be stopped or cancelled. This is the light of hope for us."

A Spark of Festivity Returns

Residents – from both Christian and Muslim faiths – take photographs in front of the tree decorated with gold and red ornaments at Manger Square. They are joined by a handful of international visitors.

Vibrant lights now decorate the streets with signs advertising holiday markets and festive events for children.

"We're very happy to have the tree, first of all, and to see foreigners in Bethlehem and to be able to observe the holiday in its authentic spirit," comments Bethlehem designer Nadya Hazboun.

"This is where it all started, so this is where we can convey a message to the world of what really Christmas represents. And this year, if Christmas is peaceful, I sincerely hope it will deliver a nice message for the entire world."

Economic Hopes and Challenges

The neighbouring towns of Beit Jala and Beit Sahour are also planning to light Christmas trees in the coming days. Hotels – which have stood mostly vacant for two years – are seeing a rise in reservations from Palestinian citizens of Israel along with some foreign visitors.

One tourist from Russia, Angelica, is making her second pilgrimage to this region. "I think everyone needs to come at minimum one time during their lifetime," she states.

"I hope a lot of people will soon come back because it's sad without many tourists. The sole aspect that's good is you don't have lengthy queues – you can come and see more things. On my prior visit you had to wait in a queue for a few hours at least."

For now, the souvenir stores dotted around Bethlehem have little business, and outside the cream-coloured walls of the Nativity Church, which originate from the Fourth Century, tour guides are mostly unoccupied. Before the conflict, it was typically packed with people.

"Bethlehem is a tourist city; absent visitors there is no livelihood," expresses one guide Hamza. "We hope to see individuals coming back like before: from Europe, the Middle East, America, Latin America and all over. We begin with lighting the tree, and we'll wait."

The Persistent Economic Impact

In the past two years, unemployment has skyrocketed in Bethlehem. Since the deadly Hamas-led attacks in southern Israel in October 2023 which triggered the war, tens of thousands of Palestinian labourers from the West Bank have been blocked from entering Israel and its settlements to work.

At the same time, public servants have received only partial wages from the Palestinian Authority (PA) – that administers areas within the West Bank. The Authority relies on tax revenues gathered by Israel, which it is withholding – amounting to 1.76 billion dollars, as reported by a UN agency.

Israel says they are retaining the funds because the Authority provides financial payments to incarcerated Palestinians that incentivise attacks on Israelis. The PA – which has been under global pressure to make reforms – claims it has lately modified its welfare system.

A Modest Holiday

The grim economic outlook implies that for many Palestinian Christians, even though there are now public festivities in addition to religious ceremonies, it will be an austere Christmas.

On the periphery of the square, some patrons wait to buy sizzling balls of falafel from several shops.

"We are getting ready for Christmas following one of our hardest periods as a Palestinian people and as a Christian community," says one restaurant owner, who runs Afteem, a long-established family-run eatery which has seen its revenues collapse. He says lately many families could not even purchase falafel – a cheap, traditional food.

"The faithful will attempt to mark the occasion but according to their circumstances," Mr Salameh anticipates. "Someone who wants to take his kids to a festive event or the theatre or whatever, he doesn't have the money to expend for this celebration."

Hopes for Calm and Recovery

In the cave-like grotto beneath the Nativity Church, a resident follows a tour group from India, bending down by a silver star that indicates the spot where tradition states that Jesus was born and igniting a light close by.

With tensions still high across the region, Bethlehem residents state they are praying for tranquility – and hoping for tourists to come back to the place which is thought to be where Christmas started.