After lockdowns severely harmed Bethlehem’s economy, tens of thousands of visitors are expected to attend a Christmas procession in the city.
Two years of subdued celebrations have given way to crowded streets, but the number of people has yet to surpass the record set in 2019.
Later, Palestinian Christians and pilgrims will attend Midnight Mass at the Nativity Church in the fourth century.
Following a tragic escalation of hostilities in the occupied West Bank and Israel, celebrations are held.
Scout bands playing bagpipes and drums accompanied church leaders from Jerusalem into Manger Square before midnight Mass at the neighboring Church of the Nativity, which is erected on the location where it is believed Jesus Christ was born.
The grotto within the church is the earliest place of worship constantly used in Christianity.
International guests are accompanying Palestinian Christians from as far away as Galilee and the Gaza Strip.
Although numbers are slightly lower than the record-breaking level observed in 2019, the streets are crowded and, as in the Nativity tale, there is no room to be found in the hotels.
While local entrepreneurs are enthusiastic about an economic rebound, they are concerned about the impact of a recent uptick in violence between Israelis and Palestinians and how the policies of the new far-right Israeli government could exacerbate tensions.
The new administration, considered the most conservative in Israel’s history, will see Benjamin Netanyahu returned to power for an unprecedented sixth term.
Israel reported earlier this month that Israeli forces accidentally killed a 16-year-old Palestinian girl during a gunfight with militants in the occupied West Bank. According to Palestinian and Israeli sources, Israeli soldiers killed five Palestinian males in four separate events in the occupied West Bank in November.
Bethlehem is a “dream” for Rayson Kamalayos, who is visiting from India.
“As Christians, we are lucky to be here, and I am glad to be here,” he continued.
After 2019’s record tourism numbers, expectations were high for 2020, but these dreams were shattered when Covid led to stringent lockdowns in the occupied West Bank.
During this time, residents were required to remain indoors from 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. each night, as well as the full day on Fridays and Saturdays, the Palestinian weekend, which limited family celebrations.
It was forbidden to observe the march from balconies crowded with family and friends.
“The occupancy rate exceeded 90 percent. Everyone invested in this industry… It is now dead. A hotel manager, Mariana al-Arja, remarked “It’s quite painful to see.”
But now Bethlehem, whose economy depends on tourism, is witnessing “more and more tourists,” according to the Palestinian Minister of Tourism, Rola Maayah.
“We celebrated Christmas last year amid the pandemic and with no tourists.”
This year, we are celebrating Christmas in Bethlehem, Palestine, with travelers from all around the world.
