Bethlehem, occupied West Financial institution – Manger Sq. and the slim alleyways that encompass it full of the sound of drums and brass as Bethlehem’s scout troupes marched by of their pristine uniforms.
They sang Christmas carols and performed conventional Palestinian music, combining a celebration of Christmas with their own national identity.
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Amid Wednesday’s celebrations, held on Christmas Eve, there was a sure poignancy – that is the primary time in two years that such festive scenes have returned to town, believed to be the birthplace of Jesus.
Amongst these on the celebrations was Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, who’s the highest-ranking Catholic official in Palestine and the broader area.
“Right here in Bethlehem, from the place I ship the Christmas message not solely to Bethlehem however to the whole world, I’ve seen the presence of sunshine,” Pizzaballa mentioned. “And this isn’t simply the sunshine of the solar, however the mild of your stunning faces.”
“We determined to be mild, and the sunshine of Bethlehem is the sunshine of the world,” he added. “At present, we deliver you peace, prayers, and hearts.”
The suspension of Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem in 2023 and 2024 was in solidarity with fellow Palestinians in Gaza, the place Israel has killed greater than 70,000 in its genocidal struggle. Israel has additionally elevated the ferocity of its raids on Bethlehem and the occupied West Financial institution, the place greater than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israelis previously two years.
Assaults from the Israeli army and settlers alike haven’t spared Palestinian Christians, with assaults on Gaza’s only Catholic church killing three in July, and a predominantly Christian town within the West Financial institution in the identical month.
A ceasefire in Gaza that started in October has introduced some respite, at the same time as Israel continues its violations and assaults on the Strip, killing tons of of individuals. The Israeli military additionally continued its army raids in the occupied West Financial institution.
And even because the festive ambiance lightened the temper in Manger Sq., the truth of the struggle was not absent. Israeli army raids and checkpoints continued, with Israeli forces arresting three younger males from the close by refugee camps of Dheisheh and Aida simply hours earlier than the celebrations started.
Pizzaballa, who has simply returned from Gaza, was fast to reference the struggling of Palestinians.
“In Gaza … I witnessed whole destruction,” he mentioned. “However amid Gaza’s destruction, I felt a ardour for all times. Within the midst of nothingness, individuals created causes for pleasure and celebration. They reminded us that we are able to return and rebuild once more regardless of human destruction.”
“We will rejoice in Gaza and Bethlehem,” Pizzaballa continued. “We are going to return to rebuild all the things anew.”
Robust journey
About 1,500 individuals – each Palestinians and international guests – attended the Christmas celebrations, which have grow to be one of many greatest symbols of Christian life within the area, at the same time as the proportion of Palestinian Christians dwelling within the West Financial institution will get smaller because of the Israeli occupation, amongst different components.
George Zalloum, from occupied East Jerusalem, was one of many Palestinian Christians who had made the journey to Bethlehem.
He informed Al Jazeera that he was having fun with the ambiance, however that it was tinged with sorrow.
“At present’s ambiance is half pleasure and half disappointment, as a result of we have now brothers who’re nonetheless dying in Gaza because of the ongoing bombardment and killing there,” Zalloum informed Al Jazeera. “We hope the struggle will finish, the killing will cease, peace will prevail within the Holy Land, and that these holidays … will proceed.”
Different Palestinians travelled to Bethlehem from cities and villages throughout the West Financial institution, however their journeys highlighted the difficulties positioned on them by Israel.
Many waited for hours at checkpoints surrounding Bethlehem, even because the bodily distance between their properties and town was not lengthy.
“It’s true that the ambiance of pleasure, love and peace has returned to us, however the street to Bethlehem was tough,” mentioned Hussam Zraiqat, who travelled to Manger Sq. from Birzeit, close to Ramallah. “We spent a very long time at an Israeli army checkpoint, however thank God, we arrived.”
That was echoed by one other Palestinian attendee, Ghassan Rizqallah, from the village of Jifna, additionally close to Ramallah.
“We confronted the army checkpoint, the place we waited for at the least an hour and a half earlier than we had been capable of enter town,” Rizqallah mentioned. “The journey was very tough.”
However as soon as he arrived, Rizqallah was overjoyed to expertise the Christmas ambiance. “Watching the scout bands and listening to the music takes us again to the gorgeous previous of our nation, our land, and our heritage – and we need to dwell in security and peace.”
Important tourism
Bethlehem’s mayor, Maher Canawati, mentioned that the Manger Sq. celebrations carried a that means that went past Bethlehem.
“Bethlehem’s message at the moment is certainly one of steadfastness and hope for the individuals of town, for Gaza, and for all of Palestine,” Canawati informed Al Jazeera. “At present, we ship a message to the whole world that the Palestinian individuals love life and peace, and that they can’t be uprooted from their land and their roots as a result of they’re the rightful house owners.”
Canawati pointed to tentative indicators of financial revival within the metropolis, whose Church of the Nativity is a significant web site of Christian pilgrimage, after a protracted collapse in tourism.
“All of the Bethlehem lodges are reopening their doorways to obtain native and international guests after practically two years of virtually full shutdown,” Canawati mentioned. “God prepared, the wheel of tourism has began turning once more.”
Bethlehem’s financial system, closely depending on tourism, has been badly hit. In response to the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism, lodge occupancy charges because the starting of the yr stood at solely 25 p.c.
Elias al-Arja, the pinnacle of the Palestinian Resort Affiliation, mentioned that lodges in Bethlehem had suffered $300m in losses this yr. Nonetheless, the renewal of the Christmas celebrations has been an enormous boon.
“Resort occupancy charges over the previous two days have risen to 80 p.c, with round 8,000 guests – 6,000 of them Palestinian residents of Israel, and a couple of,000 from varied nationalities from Europe and the US,” al-Arja mentioned.
A few of these guests took the chance to observe the Christmas celebrations in Manger Sq..
“It’s good to see these celebrations returning,” mentioned Dwayne Jefferson, who travelled from the US state of North Carolina. “It’s a optimistic expertise and opens the door to the chance that this complete area can return to a state of regular life. I’m very comfortable to be right here.”
Jean Charles, a vacationer from Italy, mentioned that it was his first go to to Bethlehem, and that he was comfortable to see a lot pleasure after two years of struggle.
“I see this feast as a celebration for each Palestinian, not solely Christians,” mentioned Charles. “I see Muslims right here as nicely, and this is essential and fascinating for the way forward for this individuals.”
“Sadly, I seen the low variety of vacationers … However truthfully, the state of affairs could be very calm. Everybody tells me, ‘Welcome to Palestine’. It’s a very stunning day, and a really stunning Christmas.”
Extra guests wanted
For companies round Manger Sq., the day introduced cautious optimism. George Ejha, the proprietor of St Georges Restaurant, mentioned: “At present’s exercise was good and relied primarily on Palestinians from inside Israel, however it isn’t adequate in comparison with the interval earlier than the struggle.”
“I utterly stopped working when the struggle broke out and solely reopened the restaurant two weeks in the past. The losses I suffered can’t be counted,” he mentioned. “We hope there might be extra exercise originally of the yr.”
Memento store proprietor Jack Jaqman struck the same observe. “The exercise we noticed at the moment isn’t sufficient … Those that visited Bethlehem had been [mainly] international employees in Israel from the Philippines, India and Romania, or our personal individuals [living in Israel],” Jaqman mentioned. “Nonetheless, it will be important in displaying town’s actuality and its readiness to obtain pilgrims and vacationers once more.”
“I’ve been in my memento store for 10 days and haven’t felt the presence of actual vacationer teams that might enhance the financial state of affairs,” he mentioned. “On today, we pray for the top of the siege that has turned Bethlehem into a big jail.”
