A Christmas display emerges amidst debris and razor wire outside the Church of the Nativity, offering solidarity with Gaza, at Manger Square in Bethlehem, located in the West Bank under Israeli control. The unveiling occurred on December 23, as captured by Clodagh Kilcoyne in a Reuters photograph.
Bethlehem, the historic birthplace of Jesus, wears an unusual and sombre atmosphere this Christmas Eve as festivities come to a halt amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Normally vibrant with festive lights and adorned with a Christmas tree, Manger Square is devoid of its usual charm. The absence of the usual influx of foreign tourists adds to the melancholy atmosphere.
Mitri Raheb, a Palestinian Christian theologian and former pastor, describes this Christmas as particularly sorrowful. The people of Bethlehem, closely connected to the happenings in Gaza, find it hard to celebrate amidst the grim news of the conflict and the lack of global consensus on a ceasefire.
In a departure from the usual joyful nativity scene in Manger Square, this year's depiction includes rubble and razor wire, mirroring the distressing scenes from Gaza. The population of Bethlehem, traditionally a focal point of Christmas celebrations, is in mourning as the conflict in Gaza has claimed over 20,000 lives, according to health authorities in the Hamas-run enclave.
While Christians constitute around two percent of the population in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian territories, with an even smaller presence in Gaza, their usual Christmas pilgrimages have been deterred by the war, triggered by a Hamas attack on Israeli towns on October 7.
Pope Francis, in the lead-up to Christmas, condemned the ongoing violence in Gaza, accusing Israel of employing "terrorism" tactics. The Pope highlighted a recent incident where two women, Nahida Khalil Anton and her daughter Samar, were allegedly killed by an Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) "sniper." The IDF maintains that it targets terrorists and infrastructure, not civilians.
As Bethlehem experiences subdued celebrations, Raheb draws parallels between the biblical narrative and the current plight of Palestinians. He emphasizes the struggles of pregnant Palestinian women in Gaza, comparing their predicament to Mary's journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Additionally, he points to the tragic loss of children in both biblical Bethlehem and present-day Gaza.
In Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau delivered a Christmas Eve message underscoring the values associated with the season—compassion, kindness, and hope. While Canadians prepare for the holiday weekend, the world watches as Bethlehem, a symbol of Christmas, grapples with the harsh realities of the ongoing conflict in the region.
