A gigantic Christmas tree adorned with red and gold decorations was erected in the West Bank city of Bethlehem for the first time since 2022.
The Palestinian city, revered by Christians as the birthplace of Jesus, had refrained from public Christmas celebrations for the past two years as war raged in Gaza.
But as it enters its second month, the city held a ceremony on Saturday night, lighting the 20-meter tree at the entrance to Manger Square.
Thousands of Palestinians from across the West Bank and Israel packed the square, bursting into applause when the tree lights were turned on shortly before 8 p.m.
“We came to celebrate, watch and enjoy, because we hadn’t had this opportunity for several years,” said Randa Bsoul, a 67-year-old Palestinian from Haifa, Israel.
Christmas tree brings joy to Belém
Israel’s attack on the Gaza Strip. Last month, the . The war began in October 2023, after a surprise attack by the Hamas group, which governs Gaza, against Israel, in which around 1,200 people were killed.
Although Gaza is about 60 km from Bethlehem, the war has painfully affected Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Many have family and friends in Gaza, and the war has hurt the tourism on which Bethlehem’s economy depends.
The last two years have been “a real hell,” said a Bethlehem souvenir shopkeeper, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals from Israeli forces.
“We are doing our best to continue,” said the shopkeeper, describing a worsening economic situation and tightening Israeli restrictions on Palestinian movement in the West Bank.
Over the past two years, Israel has erected new military checkpoints across the territory, and some Palestinian communities have been effectively isolated by gates and roadblocks.
Furthermore, thousands of Palestinians have been forced to leave their homes by Israeli forces who have been launching an attack since the beginning of the year.
Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire in October as part of a US plan to end the war. Although formally it is being respected, claiming that they are repelling attacks or destroying militant infrastructure. Hamas and Israel have repeatedly accused each other of violations.
Belém feels the pain of the Gaza war
“As Bethlehem turns on its Christmas lights, the deep anguish suffered by our people in Gaza does not leave our hearts,” Bethlehem Mayor Maher Canawati told reporters this week.
“Gaza’s wound is our wound, the people of Gaza are our people, and the light of Christmas has no meaning unless it first touches the hearts of the afflicted and oppressed throughout Palestine,” he added.
In Bethlehem, Palestinians said they were hopeful that Christmas and New Year would bring peace after two years of what some described as agony and pain. They hoped Saturday’s ceremony would bring some joy to those suffering in Gaza.
“We are looking for hope,” said Diana Babush, a Palestinian in her 50s from Bethlehem.
“We hope that from this moment onwards, peace will prevail. We hope that we can have peace and prosperity.”
Unlike before the war in Gaza, there were no fireworks after the lighting of the Christmas tree, a solemn nod to the uncertainty of the future.
“It’s scary because no one knows what will happen in the future. But we have hope,” said Bsoul from Haifa.
