Bethlehem, in the shadow of war: Christmas without joy

Betlehemi dhe Krishtlindja e dytë, në hijen e luftës. Turizmi ndodhet në prag të kolapsit, banorët largohen, atmosfera e mbushur me trishtim dhe heshtje.

2024-12-26 13:05:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Christ, according to the Christmas story in the Christian religion, was born in a stable in Bethlehem. The reason was that there was no shelter in Bethlehem. Today, 2000 years later, the situation is completely different: almost all 5,000 hotel rooms in the city are empty. There is a lack of tourists. This affects not only hotels, but also local shops and the whole city. Ramzi Sabella has a small shop near the Church of the Nativity. He remembers almost every tourist who visited his shop this year.

"A few weeks ago there was a guest from Nigeria," says the shop owner.

Ramzi usually sells cellphone chargers and selfie sticks to pilgrims from all over the world. Especially at Christmas he would be very busy - under normal circumstances. In times of war, everything is different.

"Now sometimes only a few locals come - and they mostly buy the cheapest products. They don't even have money anymore," explains Ramzi.

Bethlehem, in the shadow of war: Christmas without joy

Residents leave Bethlehem

Since the start of the war in the Gaza Strip, the economy in the Israeli-controlled West Bank, where Bethlehem is located, has suffered a sharp decline. Tourism has been the main source of income for the city for decades. However, according to data from the local hoteliers' association, the number of rooms where tourists are accommodated in hotels has fallen from about 80 percent before the war to just three percent today.

Even in the large Nativity Square in front of the Church of the Nativity, the atmosphere is no better. Loud Christmas music is usually heard from there, filling the entire old part of Bethlehem. This year silence reigns: no Christmas carols, no Christmas trees, no decorations. There are only a few journalists in the square who report on the sad events.

This is the second year in a row that Christmas in Bethlehem is celebrated under the shadow of war. According to local authorities, in recent months almost 500 families have left Bethlehem – a significant number, given that the city has only about 30,000 inhabitants. These are only the official figures, because it is thought that the number is even higher. The remaining residents say many others, using temporary tourist visas, left and are now trying to make ends meet abroad doing odd jobs.

Bethlehem, in the shadow of war: Christmas without joy

"A message to the whole world"

But the increase in poverty is only one side of the coin. The other side is the killing of thousands of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, so no one here is in a position to celebrate.

"This year we are praying in silence - and we want to send a message to the whole world," explains priest Issa Musleh from the Greek Orthodox Church. "We deeply condemn what is happening in Gaza now."

Even in Bethlehem, like the rest of the West Bank, the atmosphere has become increasingly tense since the beginning of the war. About 50,000 Christians, as well as the Muslim majority in this region under Israeli control, feel this way. According to United Nations data, more than 700 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since the start of the war, and 23 Israelis have also been killed in the same period.

"For now, at Christmas, everyone should remember that Christ was born in Bethlehem to call people to peace," says the Greek Orthodox priest.

Desire for peaceful coexistence

Under these circumstances, it is more difficult than ever for Christians in the region to believe in the message of hope that Christmas brings. However, the people of Bethlehem have long shown that peaceful coexistence is possible, according to waiter Nadeem. He sadly watches the events in front of the Church of the Nativity from afar - from his empty cafe on a hill opposite.

Although he is Muslim, Nadeem attends a Christian university. Before the war, he often went to Israel, just a few kilometers away, where he had many Jewish friends.