Christmas cheer returned to the Israeli-occupied West Bank on Saturday as Bethlehem, the biblical birthplace of Jesus Christ, lit its festive Christmas tree for the first time since the devastating Gaza war began more than two years ago.
The return of the tradition drew thousands of visitors to Manger Square, near the Church of the Nativity, for a two-hour ceremony that residents hailed as a symbol of resilience amidst persistent regional tension.
Emotional Return to Tradition
The decorated tree’s lights were switched on to cheers from the diverse crowd, which included Christians and Muslims, as well as visitors from the Palestinian territories, Israel, and abroad.
The event is the first major public Christmas celebration in Bethlehem since the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza. For many attendees, the ceremony offered a powerful moment of emotional relief after years of conflict.
“It’s like a symbol for resilience,” said 27-year-old Abeer Shtaya, who travelled from Salfit in the northern West Bank.
“This event didn’t happen for the last two years because of the war and it’s quite emotional after two years of nothing but war and death,” added 50-year-old Liyu Lu, who travelled from northern Israel.
Tourism and Economic Uncertainty
While the ceremony brought symbolic joy, local businesses underscored the severe economic impact of the hiatus. Tourism accounts for nearly all of Bethlehem’s economy, and local ceramic store owner Mike Shahen noted that the impact of the last two years was far worse than the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pilgrims have only recently begun a cautious return, though numbers remain low. Fabien Safar, director of pilgrimage organiser Terra Dei, stated that a fuller recovery for the tourism sector is not expected until 2027, contingent on stable developments in Gaza and Lebanon.
The celebration comes amid a fragile truce between Israel and Hamas that began in October, though high tensions, sporadic violence across the West Bank, and ongoing Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon continue to contribute to regional uncertainty.
