Costa Rica Post

Pura Vida, Every Day
Thursday, Jul 03, 2025

Bethlehem’s Dire Christmas: A Silent Night as Gaza Conflict Grounds Tourism

The once vibrant city of Bethlehem faces a dark holiday season as Israeli-Palestinian tensions and economic woes extinguish its festive spirit.
In the heart of Bethlehem, a city immortalized as the birthplace of Christ, there is an eerie absence of the usual Christmas grandeur.

The Manger Square, typically shimmering with festive lights and bustling with pilgrims, now lies dormant under the shadow of the ongoing Gaza conflict and stringent Israeli-imposed movement restrictions in the occupied West Bank.

For the second consecutive year, Bethlehem's church of the Nativity—the city's historic and spiritual magnet—stands uncharacteristically quiet.

The solemn chants of a handful of Armenian monks echo through the hallowed hallways, in stark contrast to the thousands of visitors it usually hosts.

'Normally, you'd find 3,000 to 4,000 people inside the church during this time,' remarks Mohamed Sabeh, a security guard, his voice tinged with regret over the city's loss of its quintessential Christmas identity.

Despite Bethlehem's relative detachment from the direct violence, since the conflict erupted between Israel and Hamas on October 7th last year, the repercussions have been palpable.

The city's economy, heavily reliant on foreign tourists, is experiencing a severe downturn as international visitors shy away.

Even Palestinian visitors are deterred, hindered by increased Israeli security measures that exacerbate travel frustrations.

'Christians from Ramallah cannot come because of security checkpoints causing kilometer-long traffic jams,' Sabeh explains, highlighting the aggravation felt by those living under Israel's omnipresent military oversight.

Moreover, Bethlehem’s mayor, Anton Salman, has accused the Israeli army of heightening the obstacles with new barricades, further stifling access to the city.

The strained circumstances have transformed Bethlehem's Christmas celebrations from jubilant public spectacles to subdued religious observances.

The city will forgo parades and grand marches.

According to Mayor Salman, the idea of celebrating amidst such suffering would seem callous: 'We want to show the world that Bethlehem is not having a normal Christmas,' he states solemnly.

The economic impact is brutal, businesses are shuttered, and families grapple with financial uncertainty.

Joseph Giacaman, who runs a prominent shop at the Manger Square, admits to opening sporadically, 'just to clean,' owing to the lack of customers.

The sentiment is echoed by other local merchants facing an existential threat, with many families already losing their livelihoods.

Beyond Bethlehem, the mood in Jerusalem's Old City's Christian Quarter resonates similarly.

Even here, just a stone’s throw from the Israeli separation wall, traditional Christmas decorations remain conspicuously absent—as if reflecting a collective sigh of fatigue and demoralization.

This sense of malaise is driving an exodus.

Economic strife and security clampdowns in place since the war began prompt many to abandon Bethlehem.

Mayor Salman estimates that approximately 470 Christian families have emigrated over the past year, an exodus that spans beyond just the Christian populace, echoing a broader demographic shift.

Father Frederic Masson, a Syrian priest serving in Bethlehem, notes that the conflict has accelerated a longstanding trend.

Particularly affected are young people, disillusioned about their prospects in a city where 'hope is seized by political power.'

The pursuit of brighter futures propels locals toward greener pastures abroad.

Fayrouz Aboud, director of the French Alliance in Bethlehem, observes a rise in language course enrollments: individuals looking to equip themselves for life overseas amid speculations of West Bank annexation by Israel.

This palpable anxiety manifests in personal stories, such as those shared by Fayrouz Aboud, whose son has urged her to consider migration for safety.

'Let’s leave this place.

The Israelis will come and kill us,' he said, encapsulating the local despondency.

As Bethlehem braces for yet another festively barren Christmas, the city stands as a microcosm of broader geopolitical tensions and the human cost inflicted by protracted conflict.

It’s a poignant reminder that for some, the season of hope and joy has instead become a time of despair and reflection.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Landslide in Bello, Colombia, Results in Multiple Casualties
Papa Johns pizza surge near the Pentagon tipped off social media before Trump's decisive Iran strike
Minnesota Lawmaker Melissa Hortman and Husband Killed in Targeted Attack; Senator John Hoffman and Wife Injured
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Protests Erupt in Los Angeles with Symbolic Flag Burning
Trump Administration Issues New Travel Ban Targeting 12 Countries
Man Group Mandates Full-Time Office Return for Quantitative Analysts
JPMorgan Warns Analysts Against Accepting Future-Dated Job Offers
Builder.ai Faces Legal Scrutiny Amid Financial Misreporting Allegations
Japan Grapples with Rice Shortage Amid Soaring Prices
Goldman Sachs Reduces Risk Exposure Amid Market Volatility
HSBC Chairman Mark Tucker to Return to AIA as Non-Executive Chair
Israel Confirms Arming Gaza Clan to Counter Hamas Influence
Judge Blocks Trump's Ban on International Students at Harvard
Global News Roundup: From Ukraine's strategic military strikes and Russia's demands and Tensions Escalate in Ukraine, to serious legal issues faced by Britons in Bali and Trump's media criticism, the latest developments highlight a turbulent landscape
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Denmark Increases Retirement Age to 70, Setting a European Precedent
Crypto Investor Arrested for Alleged Kidnapping and Torture in Manhattan
Former FBI Director James Comey Questioned by Secret Service Over Social Media Post
Mexican Influencer Valeria Márquez Killed During Livestream in Suspected Femicide
CIA Files Reveal Klaus Barbie's Role in Bolivian Drug Trade and Dictatorship Support
Huge Copper, Gold, and Silver Discovery in Argentina and Chile — But the Profits Go Abroad
Trump Rules Out Third Term, Names JD Vance and Marco Rubio as Potential Successors
Mexico Says ‘No’ to U.S. Troops: President Sheinbaum Rejects Trump’s Offer to Fight Cartels
Trump Shares AI-Generated Image of Himself as… Pope, Prompting Outrage Reaction
Amazon Launches Satellite Internet Service Amidst Competition with SpaceX
Transformative Changes in Women's Wrestling: The Rise of WWE Superstars
Brazilian Woman Jailed for Fourteen Years for Writing “You Lost, Idiot” on Statue During Protest
U.S. Economy Shrink in Trump’s First Quarter as Tariff Policy Raises Questions
Carney Secures Liberal Mandate in Canada’s Federal Election
Liverpool Clinches Record-Equalling 20th English League Title Under Arne Slot
Driver Ploughs into Vancouver Festival Crowd, Killing Nine
Depression, Fear of Defamation, and a Tragic End: New Details on Virginia Giuffre’s Suicide
Corrupted from Within: How Deep State Power and Unelected Judges Hijacked Democracy Against the Will of the People
Milwaukee Judge Arrested on Allegations of Aiding Undocumented Immigrant’s Escape
Pope Francis: head of the Catholic church who pushed for social and economic justice
Global Leaders Pay Tribute to Pope Francis Following His Death
El Salvador Proposes Prisoner Exchange with Venezuela Amid Deportation Controversy
US Government Defends Deportation of Salvadoran National Kilmar Abrego Garcia
×