Christmas in the West Bank

TEHRAN (Defapress) - For the past two Christmases, John Juka’s family restaurant, like almost every other business in Bethlehem, has been closed and strangely empty. But on Saturday evening, it was packed with families and lit by strings of red lights, a hopeful change in a Palestinian city that has been in crisis since the start of the genocide in Gaza.

Christmas celebrations are slowly returning to the birthplace of Jesus in the occupied West Bank. While a shaky ceasefire is in place in Gaza, Palestinians are hoping the festivities will be a step toward a peaceful future. “It’s not like before the war. But it feels like life is coming back,” said a 30-year-old Palestinian businessman.

Muslim-majority city thrives at Christmas

Religious and secular tourists have long powered Bethlehem’s economic engine. 80 percent of the city’s residents make their living from tourism. The revenue spills over into the West Bank.

“When 10,000 tourists and pilgrims sleep in Bethlehem, it means the butcher is working, it means the supermarket is working, it means everyone is working, and it has a ripple effect,” says Bethlehem Mayor Maher Nicola Canavati. It’s an economic lifeline that was cut short by the start of the Gaza genocide on October 7, 2023.

Bethlehem authorities canceled major Christmas celebrations during the two-year Israeli offensive on Gaza, which has killed more than 70,000 Palestinians, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. At the same time, we have seen the Israeli military step up its operations in the West Bank, including around Bethlehem.

“The unemployment rate in the city has increased from 14 percent to 65 percent,” notes Bethlehem Mayor Maher Nicola Canawati. “We have also seen a sharp increase in poverty over the past two years, with about 4,000 people leaving the city in search of work.”

A United Nations report last month said the West Bank was experiencing its worst economic recession, citing Israel’s ongoing military operations.

“The decision we made was to revive the spirit of Christmas and hope. I think it sends a great message to the whole world that we Palestinians love life and are eagerly waiting for a peaceful solution,” adds the Bethlehem mayor.

For families like the Jukas, who struggled to keep their businesses afloat during the war, seeing the crowds was a breath of fresh air after years of uncertainty. The family opened their traditional Palestinian restaurant in 1979. With many businesses in Bethlehem struggling during the recent war, the family wondered how long it could last.

“In November, tourist arrivals to the city reached their highest level since the start of the war, and hotel bookings indicate that about 70 percent of tourist and entertainment venues will be filled,” notes the mayor of Bethlehem. However, few of the hundreds who gathered in Bethlehem Square were foreign tourists, and residents said the festivities were nowhere near as lively as they used to be.”

West Bank Tensions

On the other hand, “The tensions in the area have overshadowed the holidays,” said Issa Montas, 29, another West Bank resident. “While Bethlehem has long been a relatively peaceful religious haven, violence and military attacks have occurred regularly nearby. This is a celebration for everyone; Christians, Jews, and Muslims. Christmas is for everyone.”

On Saturday, the Israeli army reportedly said it had shot and killed two Palestinian men at a security checkpoint in Hebron. Palestinian health officials confirmed at least one of them had died.

Military checkpoints sometimes extend travel times by a full day. Meanwhile, attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinians in the West Bank have reached their highest level since 2006 in recent months. The Israeli Prime Minister, whose government is dominated by far-right supporters and the settler movement, has declared that the perpetrators of these attacks are a "bunch of extremists."