Imtiaz Tyab reports on the return of Christmas festivities to the West Bank city of Bethlehem after two years marked by the war in Gaza. The tree-lighting in Manger Square was charged with emotion as lights came on and the crowd wept; for two years, Christmas had been all but canceled here while violence raged nearby.
Although a U.S.-brokered ceasefire has reduced the scale of fighting, it has not fully ended hostilities in Gaza or tensions in the West Bank. Still, Palestinian Christians said gathering to celebrate felt like a hopeful sign. Beneath the decorations, however, lies a harsh reality: Bethlehem’s economy—heavily reliant on tourism and pilgrimages—has been pushed to the brink after years of few visitors.
Despite that strain, residents insist their faith endures. For many, this year’s celebrations are a sign that Christmas has returned to Bethlehem, and with it a cautious hope for recovery.