BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) — The Nativity Store in Manger Square has offered handmade olive wooden carvings and spiritual objects to individuals visiting the normal birthplace of Jesus since 1927. But as Bethlehem prepares to mark its second Christmas beneath the shadow of the warfare in Gaza, there are virtually no vacationers, leaving the Nativity Store and different companies not sure of how for much longer they will maintain on.
For the second straight 12 months, Bethlehem’s Christmas celebrations can be somber and muted, in deference to ongoing warfare in Gaza. There can be no large Christmas tree in Manger Square, no raucous scout marching bands, no public lights twinkling and only a few public decorations or shows.
“Last 12 months earlier than Christmas, we had extra hope, however now once more we’re near Christmas and we don’t have something,” stated Rony Tabash, the third-generation proprietor of Nativity Store.
Israel’s warfare in opposition to Hamas has been raging for practically 15 months, and there nonetheless isn’t any finish in sight. Repeated ceasefire efforts have stalled.
Since the warfare started, tourism to Israel and the Israeli-occupied West Bank has plummeted. And after Israel barred entry to a lot of the 150,000 Palestinians within the West Bank who had jobs in Israel, the Palestinian economic system contracted by 25% prior to now 12 months.
The yearly Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem — shared amongst Armenian, Catholic and Orthodox denominations — are normally main boons for the town, the place tourism accounts for 70% of its yearly earnings. But the streets are empty this season.
Tabash stated he continues to open the shop every single day, however usually a complete week will go by and not using a sale. Tabash works with greater than 25 native households who create hand-carved spiritual objects out of the area’s storied olive wooden. But with no patrons, work has dried up for these households.
Lots of room on the inn
The variety of guests to the 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, stated Jiries Qumsiyeh, the spokesperson for the Palestinian tourism ministry.
According to the Christmas story, Mary was compelled to present start to Jesus in a secure as a result of there was no room on the inn. Today, practically all of Bethlehem’s 5,500 lodge rooms are empty.
The metropolis’s lodge occupancy fee plunged from round 80% in early 2023 to round 3% immediately, stated Elias Al Arja, the top of Bethlehem Hoteliers Association. At his personal lodge, the Bethlehem Hotel, he stated he has laid off a workers of greater than 120 individuals and retains simply 5 workers.
The metropolis hosts greater than 100 shops and 450 workshops coping with conventional Palestinian handicraft, Qumsiyeh stated. But only a week earlier than Christmas, when the town must be bursting with guests, Manger Square was largely empty save for a couple of locals promoting espresso and tea. Only two of the eight shops in the principle drag of the sq. have been open for enterprise.
Qumsiyeh worries that when the warfare ends and tourism finally rebounds, most of the households which have handed down conventional abilities for generations will now not be making the objects that replicate Palestinian heritage and tradition.
Many are leaving the area fully. “We have witnessed a really excessive fee of emigration for the reason that starting of the aggression, particularly amongst these working within the tourism sector,” stated Qumsiyeh.
A Christmas with out pleasure
Almost 500 households have left Bethlehem prior to now 12 months, stated Mayor Anton Salman. And these are simply the households who moved overseas with official residency visas. Many others have moved overseas on non permanent vacationer visas and are working illegally, and it’s unclear if they are going to return, Salman stated.
Around half of the inhabitants within the Bethlehem space, together with close by villages, works in both tourism or in jobs in Israel.
The unemployment fee in Bethlehem is roughly 50%, stated Salman. Unemployment throughout the West Bank is round 30%, in response to the Palestinian Economy Ministry.
Canceling Christmas festivities is a technique to attract consideration to the troublesome scenario in Bethlehem and throughout the Palestinian territories, stated Salman. “This 12 months we wish to present the world that the Palestinian individuals are nonetheless struggling they usually haven’t the enjoyment that everyone else on the planet having,” stated Salman.
It is one other blow to the Holy Land’s dwindling inhabitants over the last decade as a consequence of 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 Bank and Jerusalem and 1,300 in Gaza, in response to the U.S. State Department.
Finding the sunshine within the evening
Father Issa Thaljieh, the parish priest of the Greek Orthodox Church within the Church of the Nativity, stated many households are struggling financially, leaving them unable to pay lease or faculty charges, a lot much less purchase Christmas presents or have a good time the vacation in different methods. The church’s social companies have tried to assist, however the wants are nice, he stated.
Thaljieh stated his Christmas message this 12 months centered on encouraging Palestinians in Bethlehem to remain regardless of the challenges.
“A church with out Christians shouldn’t be a church,” he stated, as staff hand-polished the ornate brass candelabras within the cavernous, empty church per week earlier than the vacation.
“The mild that was born when Jesus Christ was born right here is the sunshine that strikes past darkness, so we now have to attend, we now have to be affected person, we now have to wish so much, and we now have to stick with our roots as a result of our roots are in Bethlehem,” he stated.
Some households are discovering methods to carry 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. Decorating 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 in addition torn.
“I used to be completely happy as a result of we get to embellish and have a good time, however individuals are in Gaza who don’t have something to have a good time,” he stated.
Rony Tabash, the third-generation proprietor of Nativity Store, stated he’ll proceed to open the shop, as a result of it’s a part of his household’s historical past.
“We should not feeling Christmas, however ultimately, Christmas is in our hearts,” he stated, including that the complete metropolis was praying for a ceasefire and peace. “We have an enormous religion that all the time, after we see Christmas, it’ll give us the sunshine within the evening.”
