Bethlehem Christmas festivities ‘subdued’ amid ongoing violence

It is unfortunate that Christmas in Bethlehem requires a lament for the hard circumstances which the Palestinian people – Muslim and Christian – have to cope with in their daily lives.

The recent violence comes at a time when many Christians travel to Bethlehem, the supposed birthplace of Jesus, for Christmas Eve, making the traditionally joyous celebrations slightly more somber.

The violence is also depressing badly needed tourism and many hotels report that up to 80 per cent of their rooms are empty. While the annual festivities in Bethlehem’s Manger Square went on, other celebrations in the city were cancelled or toned down. Israeli fire has killed 122 Palestinians, 84 of them said by Israel to be attackers and the remainder killed in clashes with Israeli forces.

The city was quiet on Thursday, although violence raged elsewhere in the West Bank. Three killed were said to be involved in attacks on Israeli security forces.

The Israeli government is quick to cite “security” justifications for its oppressive policies – while in reality, land grab and settlement expansion motives – under the pretext of security – can not be concealed. “[I am] privileged, because not everyone has the opportunity to come here”, she said.

Since mid-September, Palestinian attacks, mostly stabbings and shootings, have killed 20 Israelis.

Christians from Gaza hope that their celebration of the feast will help them alleviate and forget their suffering in the wake of the eight-year-long Israeli blockade on the coastal enclave.

A subdued Christmas adds to an already hard year for Palestinian Christians, who have suffered the full brunt of Israel’s policies, most notably land seizures and, for those in Jerusalem, the revocation of residency rights.

But Christmas has been overshadowed by three months of Israeli-Palestinian violence, so it was a poor turnout this year.

“We are praying for the restoration of peace and security and the return of the displaced to their land”, said one worshipper, Farida, as she arrived at Our Lady of Salvation church in Baghdad, one member of a dwindling Christian community trickling in to churches. Palestinian vendors offered coffee, tea and Santa hats, while young children sold sticks of chewing gum.

One visitor from Jerusalem said she’s relieved to escape the threat of attacks there, and that she feels safe in Bethlehem.

She said 12 of her relatives lost their homes when IS took over Iraq’s second city Mosul in 2014 and ordered Christians to convert to Islam, pay a heavy tax as second-class citizens or face death.

The thousands that gathered in Manger Square, where the run kicks off, included Muslim and Christian Palestinians, internationals from dozens of foreign countries, and even some Israeli Jews.

Visiting from Nazareth, a Palestinian-majority city in Israel, the girls crack a few jokes, before moving around the tree for yet more selfies with the life-size nativity scene for a backdrop.

“Many people want to come, but they are afraid because they know the Holy Land is under occupation”, said Palestinian Minister of Tourism Rula Maaya.

“In a world which all too often is merciless to the sinner and lenient to the sin, we need to cultivate a strong sense of justice, to discern and to do God’s will”, the Argentine pontiff said.

Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal led a procession from his Jerusalem headquarters into Bethlehem, passing through a military checkpoint and past Israel’s concrete separation barrier, which surrounds much of the town.

Israel built the barrier a decade ago to stop suicide bombings.