Berliner Zeitung: Bethlehem will not celebrate Christmas out of solidarity with the Gaza Strip
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As a sign of solidarity with the Gaza Strip, Bethlehem decided to abandon Christmas celebrations for the first time
For the first time in many years, Bethlehem will not celebrate Christmas. Representatives of local Christian communities and clergy of Palestinian churches jointly decided to abandon holiday services. Berliner Zeitung reports this.
The refusal to celebrate Christmas will be done out of solidarity with the Gaza Strip. “In this pre-Christmas period, we Christian Palestinians are not preparing for the coming of the Lord, but we are waiting for war,” said Fouad Giakaman, a former director of a Catholic school in Bethlehem.
Until October 7, the interest of tourists in Bethlehem was so great that the city authorities planned to hold the Christmas tree lighting ceremony twice. Now it has been cancelled.
From January to September, the city where Jesus Christ was born was visited by one and a half million tourists. After October, the tourist flow completely dried up. According to officials, this is seriously affecting the city’s economy. More than eight and a half thousand families are involved in the field of receiving and serving tourists. Every year, travelers provided up to one and a half million dollars in revenue to the city treasury.
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