Israeli-Palestinian violence mars mood as Christians celebrate Christmas in Bethlehem

The annual yearly festivities in Manger Sq. was held as regular, still different celebrations within the city have been canceled or sculpted down.

Since October, the region has seen stabbings, shootings and car-rammings by Palestinians kill 20 Israelis and one American.

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.

Clashes between Israeli security forces and Palestinian demonstrators erupted following his departure from the city, known as the birthplace of Jesus, the news site said.

Although Israel rarely grants permits to leave the Palestinian territory, dozens of Christians are allowed to visit Bethlehem and Jerusalem during Easter and Christmas, and some take the opportunity to never return home so they can start a new life elsewhere.

They listened to holiday music played by marching bands and scout troops.

In the first incident, Israeli police spokeswoman Luba Samri said the attacker approached the entrance to an industrial zone in the Ariel settlement and stabbed two security guards, wounding them moderately, before they shot and killed him.

Normally Bethlehem Christmas celebrations attract a huge number of tourists, but this year only a fraction of the tens of thousands of tourists flocked to the city. But vendors and hotel owners complained of sagging business this Christmas season.

Christmas Day in Bethlehem was marked by Palestinian rocks and iron bars hurled at the vehicle of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Fouad Twal as he drove out of Bethlehem after celebrating Christmas Mass. The prelate was not hurt, but the rear of his auto was smashed.

Israel’s Shin Bet security service announced Wednesday that it had arrested members of two large Hamas terrorist cells in the West Bank who were planning mass casualty suicide bombings and other attacks inside Israel. Palestinians view the structure as a land grab that has stifled Bethlehem’s economy.

Despite a gloomy Christmas, hope springs eternal in the little town where it all began for the Christian faith.

Following the verbal altercation, Palestinian officials contacted the Israeli Civil Administration, which handles all non-military aspects of connected to the West Bank.

“It’s just wrong. They shouldn’t have done it”, said Jane Hawash, 48, of the Christian village of Beit Sahour. “It was an unfortunate event; and we will draw lessons from it as we continue to function in all areas where our security forces have the need to operate”, the spokesman said.

Yet the symbolism of Bethlehem – the place where Christians believe Jesus was born to Mary – never seems to disappoint.