Thousands flock to Bethlehem to revive the Christmas spirit after 2 years of war in Gaza | Ap

BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) — Thousands of people flocked to Bethlehem’s Manger Square on Christmas Eve as families there and at other sites across the Holy Land heralded a much-needed boost of holiday spirit, after two years of subdued celebrations because of the war in Gaza.

The city where Christians believe Jesus was born had canceled Christmas celebrations but on Wednesday, the giant Christmas tree returned to Manger Square, temporarily replacing the wartime nativity scene of baby Jesus surrounded by rubble and barbed wire in a homage to Gaza’s suffering.

kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^82K2\H2C\A6246\E2= y6CFD2=6> E@ q6E9=696>[ 42==:?8 7@C “2 r9C:DE>2D 7F== @7 =:89E]”k^Am

kAm!:KK232==2 D2:5 96 42>6 362C:?8 8C66E:?8D 7C@> k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^82K2\49C:DE:2?D\:DC26=\92>2D\H2C\49C:DE>2D\`g5dfe`4b75cg5_5c2gca4ag2634a3`4Qmv2K2VD E:?J r9C:DE:2? 4@>>F?:EJk^2m[ H96C6 96 96=5 2 AC6\r9C:DE>2D |2DD @? $F?52J] x? E96 56G2DE2E:@?[ 96 D2H 2 56D:C6 E@ C63F:=5]k^Am

kAm“(6[ 2== E@86E96C[ H6 564:56 E@ 36 E96 =:89E[ 2?5 E96 =:89E @7 q6E9=696> 😀 E96 =:89E @7 E96 H@C=5[” 96 E@=5 E9@FD2?5D @7 A6@A=6[ r9C:DE:2? 2?5 |FD=:>]k^Am

kAms6DA:E6 E96 9@=:52J 4966C[ E96 :>A24E @7 E96 H2C 😕 E96 xDC26=:\@44FA:65 (6DE q2?< 😀 24FE6[ 6DA64:2==J 😕 q6E9=696>[ H96C6 2C@F?5 g_T @7 E96 |FD=:>\>2;@C:EJ 4:EJ’D C6D:56?ED k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^36E9=696>\49C:DE>2D\H6DE\32?<\A2=6DE:?:2?D\;6DFD\3a4bgachge6a_36`__a_572`6`_`b353Qm56A6?5 FA@? E@FC:D>\C6=2E65 3FD:?6DD6Dk^2m[ 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 =@42= 8@G6C?>6?E]k^Am

kAm%96 G2DE >2;@C:EJ @7 A6@A=6 46=63C2E:?8 H6C6 C6D:56?ED[ H:E9 2 92?57F= @7 7@C6:8?6CD] qFE D@>6 C6D:56?ED D2:5 E96J 2C6 DE2CE:?8 E@ D66 D:8?D @7 492?86 2D E@FC:D> D=@H=J C6EFC?D]k^Am

k9am‘w@A6 😕 G6CJ 52C< D:EF2E:@?D’k^9am

kAm“%@52J 😀 2 52J @7 ;@J[ 2 52J @7 9@A6[ E96 368:??:?8 @7 E96 C6EFC? @7 ?@C>2= =:76 96C6[” D2:5 q6E9=696> C6D:56?E v6@C86EE6 y24<2>2?[ 2 E@FC 8F:56] $96 2?5 96C 9FD32?5[ |:4926= y24<2>2?[ 2?@E96C 8F:56[ 2C6 7C@> r9C:DE:2? q6E9=696> 72>:=:6D E92E DEC6E49 324< 86?6C2E:@?D]k^Am

kAm%9:D 😀 E96 7:CDE C62= r9C:DE>2D 46=63C2E:@? 7@C E96:C EH@ 49:=5C6?[ 2865 a `^a 2?5 `_ >@?E9D]k^Am

kAmsFC:?8 E96 H2C[ E96 y24<2>2?D A:G@E65 E@ 4C62E6 2 H63D:E6 D6==:?8 !2=6DE:?:2? 92?5:4C27ED E@ DFAA@CE @E96CD H9@ =@DE E96:C =:G6=:9@@5D] %96 F?6>A=@J>6?E C2E6 😕 E96 4:EJ ;F>A65 7C@> `cT E@ edT[ q6E9=696> |2J@C |296C }:4@=2 r2?2H2E: k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^36E9=696>\49C:DE>2D\H6DE\32?<\A2=6DE:?:2?D\;6DFD\3a4bgachge6a_36`__a_572`6`_`b353QmD2:5 62C=:6C E9:D >@?E9k^2m]k^Am

kAmp G:D:E@C 7C@> uC2?46[ |@?2 #:6H6C[ D2:5 D96 42>6 E@ “36EE6C F?56CDE2?5 H92E A6@A=6 😕 !2=6DE:?6 2C6 8@:?8 E9C@F89” 6G6? E9@F89 7C:6?5D 2?5 72>:=J 42FE:@?65 96C 282:?DE 4@>:?8 5F6 E@ E96 G@=2E:=6 D:EF2E:@?]k^Am

kAm#:6H6C D2:5 36:?8 😕 q6E9=696> 96=A65 96C 2AAC64:2E6 E96 >62?:?8 @7 E96 9@=:52J]k^Am

kAm“r9C:DE>2D 😀 =:<6 9@A6 😕 G6CJ 52C< D:EF2E:@?D[” D96 D2:5]k^Am

kAms6DA:E6 E96 v2K2 462D67:C6 E92E 3682? 😕 ~4E@36C[ E6?D:@?D C6>2:? 9:89 24C@DD >F49 @7 E96 (6DE q2?<]k^Am

kAmxDC26=’D >:=:E2CJ 4@?E:?F6D E@ 42CCJ @FE C2:5D 😕 H92E :E 42==D 2 4C24<5@H? @? >:=:E2?ED] k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^D6EE=6C\G:@=6?46\?6E2?J29F\A2=6DE:?:2?D\:DC26=\d_a25a5_a_2e77_2`3dad4da35fa4g65QmpEE242?:E2C:2? @77:46 DE2CE65 4@==64E:?8 52E2 😕 a__e] xDC26= 42AEFC65 E96 (6DE q2?< 😕 E96 `hef |:562DE H2C] %96 :?E6C?2E:@?2==J C64@8?:K65 !2=6DE:?:2? pFE9@C:EJ 92D =:>:E65 2FE@?@>J 😕 A2CED @7 E96 E6CC:E@CJ[ :?4=F5:?8 q6E9=696>]k^Am

kAmpD A@G6CEJ 2?5 F?6>A=@J>6?E 92G6 D@2C65[ 23@FE c[___ A6@A=6 92G6 =67E q6E9=696> 😕 D62C49 @7 H@C<[ E96 >2J@C D2:5[— A2CE @7 2 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^H6DE\32?<\49C:DE:2?D\:DC26=\A2=6DE:?:2?D\>:562DE\H2C\h`a4c7_62_fb5g7_h`6fea7`cee2fcabQmH@CCJ:?8 EC6?5 7@C r9C:DE:2?Dk^2m[ H9@ 2C6 =62G:?8 E96 C68:@? 😕 5C@G6D] r9C:DE:2?D 244@F?E 7@C =6DD E92? aT @7 E96 (6DE q2?<’D C@F89=J b >:==:@? C6D:56?ED]k^Am

k9am%96 368:??:?8 @7 2 C6EFC? E@ ?@C>2= =:76k^9am

kAmu25: +@F893:[ H9@ AC6G:@FD=J H@C<65 @G6CD66:?8 =@8:DE:4D 7@C E@FC 8C@FAD[ D2:5 9:D 49:=5C6? H6C6 64DE2E:4 E@ D66 >2C49:?8 32?5D DEC62>:?8 E9C@F89 q6E9=696>VD DEC66ED]k^Am

kAm%96 D4@FED C6AC6D6?E 4:E:6D 2?5 E@H?D 24C@DD E96 (6DE q2?<[ H:E9 !2=6DE:?:2? 7=28D 2?5 E2CE2? 5C2A65 @? E96:C 328A:A6D] u@C E96 A2DE EH@ J62CD[ E96 D4@FED >2C4965 D:=6?E=J 2D 2 AC@E6DE 282:?DE E96 H2C]k^Am

kAmxC6?6 z:C>:K[ H9@ 8C6H FA 😕 q6E9=696> 2?5 =:G6D 😕 #2>2==29[ D2:5 E96 D4@FE A2C256 😀 2>@?8 96C 72G@C:E6 r9C:DE>2D EC25:E:@?D] w6C `d\J62C\@=5 52F89E6C A=2JD E96 E6?@C 5CF> H:E9 E96 #2>2==29 D4@FED]k^Am

kAm“xEVD G6CJ 6>@E:@?2= D66:?8 A6@A=6 ECJ:?8 E@ 3@F?46 324<[ ECJ:?8 E@ 46=63C2E6 A6246 2?5 =@G6[” z:C>:K D2:5]k^Am

kAmsFC:?8 E96 AC6G:@FD EH@ J62CD[ E96 9625D @7 49FC496D 😕 y6CFD2=6> k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^A2=6DE:?:2?D\49C:DE:2?D\49C:DE>2D\:DC26=\92>2D\H2C\ad_2af2f6d25e4_5g5adg5hc__5237d2QmFC865 4@?8C682E:@?D E@ 7@C8@k^2m “2?J F??646DD2C:=J 76DE:G6 24E:G:E:6D]” %96J 6?4@FC2865 AC:6DED 2?5 E96 72:E97F= E@ 7@4FD @? r9C:DE>2D’ DA:C:EF2= >62?:?8 2?5 42==65 7@C “76CG6?E AC2J6CD 7@C 2 ;FDE 2?5 =2DE:?8 A6246 7@C @FC 36=@G65 w@=J {2?5]”k^Am

k9am~E96C |:55=6 t2DE 6G6?ED >2C< E96 72:E97F=’D C6D:=:6?46k^9am

kAm$2?E2D H6C6 6G6CJH96C6 2D E96 EC25:E:@?2= A2C256 C6EFC?65 E@ }2K2C6E9 😕 ?@CE96C? xDC26=[ C6G6C65 3J r9C:DE:2?D 2D E96 A=246 H96C6 E96 2C492?86= v23C:6= 2??@F?465 E@ |2CJ D96 H@F=5 8:G6 3:CE9 E@ y6DFD]k^Am

kAm%96 9:==E@A E@H? 7:==65 H:E9 49:=5C6?] $@>6 DE2CC65 😕 =:G6 }2E:G:EJ D46?6D[ 2?5 @E96CD =:?65 E96 C@FE6 H2:E:?8 7@C 7=@2ED 2?5 42?5J F?56C 2 3C:89E[ H2C> DF?]k^Am

kAmx?46?D6 H27E65 @G6C A6HD A24<65 7@C r9C:DE>2D tG6 |2DD 2E v2K2VD @?=J r2E9@=:4 49FC49[ H96C6 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^82K2\:DC26=\92>2D\42E9@=:4\49FC49\49C:DE>2D\A:KK232==2\h74_d5537`ac6edhf2cg343h33_5`64_Qm76DE:G6 49:=5C6?VD AC@8C2>Dk^2m 925 2=D@ E2<6? A=246] %96 w@=J u2>:=J 4@>A@F?5 H2D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^82K2\:DC26=\2:CDEC:<6D\42E9@=:4\49FC49\b2db4ce2cec2f67h5f`ab3562ehhe5g2Qm9:E 3J 7C28>6?ED 7C@> 2? xDC26=: D96==k^2m 😕 yF=J[ <:==:?8 E9C66 A6@A=6 😕 H92E xDC26= E96? 42==65 2? 244:56?E 2?5 6IAC6DD65 C68C6E @G6C]k^Am

kAm~? E96 @FED<:CED @7 s2>2D4FD[ $JC:2[ 9F?5C65D @7 4@?8C682?ED A=2??65 E@ C6EFC? 7@C r9C:DE>2D |2DD6D 2E 2 vC66< ~CE9@5@I 49FC49 H96C6[ 😕 yF?6[ ad A6@A=6 H6C6 <:==65 😕 2 DF:4:56 2EE24< 3=2>65 @? xD=2>:4 $E2E6 >:=:E2?ED] ~? %F6D52J[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^DJC:2\49C:DE>2D\>2C\6=:2D\49FC49\DF:4:56\2EE24<\g3cdfc2422fhfa_73b33gf_73c7e5h_cQmE96J 82E96C65k^2m E@ =:89E 2 ?6@? :>286 @7 2 r9C:DE>2D EC66 😕 :ED 4@FCEJ2C5]k^Am

k9amu6DE:G:E:6D 2C@F?5 E96 H@C=5k^9am

kAmp=@?8 u=@C:52’D $A246 r@2DE[ $2?E2D 9@AA65 @? DFC73@2C5D[ ?@E D=6:89D] wF?5C65D @7 DFC76CD 5C6DD65 2D $2?E2 E@@< E@ E96 H2G6D @77 r@4@2 q6249 😕 H92E 92D 364@>6 2? 2??F2= EC25:E:@? 7@C E96 A2DE `f J62CD]k^Am

kAm%96 $2?E2\DFC7:?8 3C@F89E E@ E96 36249 E9@FD2?5D @7 DA64E2E@CD 5C6DD65 😕 r9C:DE>2D 4@DEF>6D H9@ 52?465 E@ =:G6 >FD:4 2?5 E@@< A2CE 😕 2 9@=:52J 4@DEF>6 4@?E6DE]k^Am

kAm%96 6G6?E C2:D6D >@?6J 7@C E96 u=@C:52 $FC7 |FD6F> 2?5 2 ?@?AC@7:E E92E 96=AD A6@A=6 H:E9 42?46C]k^Am

k9C ^m

kAmpDD@4:2E65 !C6DD ;@FC?2=:DED p33J $6H6== 😕 q6:CFE[ pC:6= $492=:E 😕 }2K2C6E9[ xDC26=[ 2?5 |:4926= $49?6:56C 😕 ~C=2?5@[ u=@C:52[ 4@?EC:3FE65 E@ E9:D C6A@CE]k^Am

Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.