The Holiday Tree Lighting Lights Up Once Again After the Start of the Conflict

For two years during the conflict in Gaza, all public celebrations marking the holiday season were called off in Bethlehem located in the West Bank. This place is where Christians believe Jesus was born.

But, following a recent truce, the holy city decided that now the festivities would make a comeback, as represented by the lighting of its traditional, large holiday tree before the ancient Church of the Nativity.

"It's been a bad two years of silence; no holiday, no employment, no work," states Bethlehem Mayor Maher Canawati. "Our community survives on tourism and tourism was down to nothing."

The mayor acknowledges that the idea to restart festivities was not without debate, given the ongoing hardship within Gaza – including for those in its small Christian population, who often have relatives to Bethlehem.

"Some may say it's not appropriate while others contend it's appropriate," the mayor notes. "But deep inside my heart, I believed this constituted the right thing to take since Christmas should never be stopped or cancelled. This represents a beacon of hope for our community."

A Glimmer of Celebration Reappears

Residents – from both Christian and Muslim faiths – take photographs in front of the tree hung with gold and red ornaments in Manger Square. They are joined by a small number of foreign tourists.

Vibrant lights now decorate the streets and there are signs advertising Christmas bazaars and children's parties.

"We are delighted to see the tree, first thing, and to welcome visitors in Bethlehem and to be able to celebrate Christmas in its true spirit," says local jewellery designer Nadya Hazboun.

"This place is where it all started, so this is where we can send the message globally about what really Christmas represents. And now, if the season is calm, then I hope it will bring a nice message for the entire world."

Economic Hopes and Difficulties

Nearby towns including Beit Jala and Beit Sahour also intend to light holiday trees soon. Hotels – which have stood mostly vacant for the past two years – are seeing a rise of bookings from Arab citizens of Israel along with certain international tourists.

A visitor from Russia, named Angelica, is on her second pilgrimage to this region. "In my view everyone needs to come at minimum one time during their lifetime," she states.

"I hope a lot of people will soon come back as it is sorrowful without many tourists. The only thing that's good is that you don't have long lines – you can come and experience more. On my prior visit you had to wait in a queue for a few hours at least."

Currently, the souvenir stores dotted around Bethlehem have little business, and near the cream-coloured walls of the Church of the Nativity, which date back to the 4th century, tour guides largely stand idle. Before the conflict, it was typically packed with people.

"Bethlehem is a city for tourists; absent visitors there is no life," laments one guide Hamza. "We aspire to have people returning as in the past: from Europe, the Middle East, the Americas, Latin America and everywhere. We begin with lighting the tree, and we'll wait."

The Lingering Economic Impact

In the past two years, unemployment has skyrocketed in Bethlehem. Since the lethal Hamas-led attacks in southern Israel in October 2023 that sparked the conflict, many thousands of Palestinian workers from the West Bank have been prevented from entering Israel and its settlements to work.

Meanwhile, public servants have been paid just a portion of their wages from the Palestinian Authority (PA) – which governs areas within the West Bank. The Authority depends on tax revenues gathered by Israel, which it is withholding – amounting to $1.76 billion, as reported by a UN agency.

Israeli officials state it is holding the funds due to the fact that the PA makes financial payments to Palestinian prisoners that incentivise violence against Israelis. The authority – facing global pressure to make reforms – says it has lately modified its social welfare system.

An Austere Holiday

The grim economic situation implies that for numerous Christian Palestinians, even though there are now public festivities in addition to religious ceremonies, it will constitute an austere Christmas.

At the edge of the square, a few customers are waiting to buy sizzling balls of falafel from several shops.

"We're preparing for Christmas after one of our hardest periods as a Palestinian people and as Christians," states one restaurant owner, who runs a restaurant called Afteem, a decades-old family-run eatery that has witnessed its revenues collapse. He notes lately numerous families could not even afford 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 a show or whatever, he doesn't have the funds to expend on these celebrations."

Hopes for Peace and Prosperity

Within the grotto at the base of the Nativity Church, a resident follows a tour group from India, stooping down by a silver star that indicates the location where tradition states Jesus was born and igniting a light nearby.

Amid ongoing high tensions across the region, people in Bethlehem say they are praying for tranquility – and hoping for tourists to come back to the place which is thought to be Christmas began.