Thousands of people gathered in Bethlehem’s Manger Square on Christmas Eve as families and some visitors heralded for a much-needed Christmas spirit after two years of war in the region.
Palestinian scout bands parade at the Manger Square near the Church of the Nativity, traditionally believed to be the birthplace of Jesus, on Christmas Eve, in the West Bank city of Bethlehem. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)(AP)
During the last two years of intense wars between militant group Hamas and Israel, the Palestinian territories featured a war-tinged somber celebrations during Christmas.
However, the giant Christmas tree absent during the Israel-Hamas war returned on Wednesday, made an appearance before hundreds of smartly dressed scouts playing well-known Christmas songs, the Associated Press reported.
Bethlehem, the city where Christians believe Jesus was born, had cancelled the celebrations during the war and held muted celebrations with few decorations or festive events.
Though a ceasefire is in place in Gaza since October, the violence had not stopped, with both sides accusing each other of violating ceasefire.
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Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the top Catholic leader in the Holy Land, kicked off Christmas celebrations calling for “a Christmas full of light.”
“After two years of darkness, we need light,” Pizzaballa said as a traditional procession started from Jerusalem to Bethlehem.
The Latin patriarch of Jerusalem said he came bearing greetings from Gaza’s tiny Christian community.
“We, all together, we decide to be the light, and the light of Bethlehem is the light of the world,” he told a gathering of Christian and Muslim, who gathered in Manger Square. The Wednesday’s gathering included local residents, with only a handful of foreigners.
The war, which has killed 70,669 Palestinians since October 2023, has left Bethlehem without tourists. Around 80 per cent of the Muslim-majority city’s residents depend upon tourism-related businesses.
However, some residents said they are starting to see some small signs of change as domestic tourism slowly returns and hopefully will bring in international visitors.
“Today is a day of joy, a day of hope, the beginning of the return of normal life here,” Bethlehem resident Georgette Jackaman, a tour guide who has not worked in more than two years, told Associated Press.
“People are desperate, but after two years, everyone wants to celebrate,” he added.
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Christmas and religious pilgrims have been the primary economic driver for Bethlehem. During the war, the unemployment rate in the city jumped from 14 per cent to 65 per cent, Bethlehem Mayor Maher Nicola Canawati said earlier this month.
“People are still afraid to come visit,” Georgette Jackaman said. “But if people come here, we can breathe a bit of the world, even if we are living with restrictions.”
Meanwhile, the Israeli military continues to carry out frequent raids claiming it to be a crackdown on militants. The Palestinian authority has limited autonomy in parts of the territory, including Bethlehem.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is expected to attend the midnight Mass on Wednesday night for the first time in two years, the mayor said.