The city of Bethlehem in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, the traditional birthplace of Jesus, will not have the usual trappings of the city's favorite holiday: no public Christmas tree, no raucous scouts march,

For the second straight year, Bethlehem’s Christmas celebrations will be somber and muted, in deference to war in Gaza.

The Nativity Store in Manger Square in Bethlehem has sold handmade olive wood carvings and religious items to pilgrims visiting the Church of the Nativity, where Christianity holds Jesus was born, since 1927.

Dearth of tourism since Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack leaves West Bank city with empty streets, empty shops and empty guestrooms at what should be most wonderful time of the year The post Somber Bethlehem readies for another Christmas under shadow of war appeared first on The Times of Israel.