{"id":2132311,"date":"2023-12-23T11:46:02","date_gmt":"2023-12-23T16:46:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/christmas-celebrations-canceled-in-bethlehem-this-year\/"},"modified":"2023-12-23T11:49:10","modified_gmt":"2023-12-23T16:49:10","slug":"christmas-celebrations-canceled-in-bethlehem-this-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/christmas-celebrations-canceled-in-bethlehem-this-year\/","title":{"rendered":"No Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem this year"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">14<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fchristmas-celebrations-canceled-in-bethlehem-this-year%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2132311&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Christmas \u2064Celebrations Put on\u200c Hold in Bethlehem\u2062 Amidst Israel-Hamas\u200b War<\/h2>\n<p>Christmas \u200cin \u2063Bethlehem, a city located in the West \u200cBank \u200djust south of Jerusalem, is usually a grand affair filled with joy and spectacle. However, this year, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/yemen-lgbt-refugees-and-white-supremacy-everything-you-need-to-know-about-bidens-first-foreign-policy-speech\/\" title=\"Yemen, LGBT Refugees, And White Supremacy: Everything You Need To Know About Biden\u2019s First Foreign Policy Speech\">ongoing war<\/a> between Israel and Hamas has cast a shadow over the festive season.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;As Christmas approaches, Bethlehem remains\u200c sad, just like all other \u2064Palestinian cities,&#8221; expressed Bethlehem Mayor Hanna Hanania in his annual Christmas message on November 30.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>In response to the conflict,\u200c the Bethlehem municipality has made the decision to limit Christmas celebrations to prayers and worship, forgoing the usual extravagant festivities. This serves as a \u200bstrong statement against Israeli aggression and the harm \u200binflicted \u200dupon innocent\u200d civilians, particularly\u2064 women and children,\u200c in\u200c the Gaza Strip.<\/p>\n<p>While Christian leaders in \u200dBethlehem have condemned the surprise \u2063attack by Hamas on Israeli \u2062communities, they \u2064are also concerned about the actions of the\u2064 Israel Defense Forces. The situation has dampened \u200cthe spirits\u200c of the \u200dcity, which was expecting around 120,000 tourists \u2062for Christmas this year, a\u200d slight decrease from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hotels-see-highest-occupancy-levels-since-march-2020\/\" title=\"Hotels see highest occupancy levels since March 2020\">pre-pandemic numbers<\/a> \u2063of 150,000 in \u200c2019.<\/p>\n<p>Although the majority of the \u2063population in the region \u2063is\u200c Jewish or\u200d Muslim, \u200capproximately \u20622% of Palestinians in \u2062the\u2062 West Bank \u2063identify as Christian, with a\u2062 small Christian community also present\u200b in Gaza.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the somberness surrounding this year&#8217;s celebrations, some Christian leaders in Bethlehem view it as an opportunity to reflect\u2064 on the true spiritual meaning of Christmas.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;I always say \u200cwe need to\u2062 de-romanticize\u2063 Christmas,&#8221; shared Rev.\u200c Munther Isaac of\u2063 the Evangelical \u2063Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem. &#8220;In reality, it&#8217;s a story of a baby who\u2063 was born in the most difficult circumstances and the Roman Empire under\u2063 occupation, who survived the massacre of children himself \u200cwhen he was born.\u200d So the\u2064 connection was natural to us.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Rev. Isaac&#8217;s church \u200deven staged their nativity scene\u2064 amidst a pile of rubble, symbolizing the \u2064devastation caused by \u200dthe war and emphasizing the \u200dresilience and hope\u200c found in the Christmas \u200dstory.<\/p>\n<p>To read\u2064 more\u2064 about \u200dthis\u2064 topic, click <a href=\"link-to-article\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> How\u2064 has the \u200dongoing conflict between Israel\u200d and Hamas affected tourism in Bethlehem during the Christmas \u2062season?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  St \u200dlike the \u200drest of \u2063the world,&#8221;\u200c said Mayor Anton \u200bSalman. &#8220;Our \u200chearts are heavy\u2063 as we witness the \u2062violence\u200b and destruction happening just a few kilometers away.&#8221;<sup>1<\/sup><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Bethlehem is considered \u2062the birthplace of Jesus \u200dChrist,\u200b making it a significant \u200bpilgrimage \u200csite for Christians around \u2062the world. Every year, thousands \u200dof faithful make the journey to commemorate the\u2063 birth of the\u200b Savior and\u2062 partake in the elaborate celebrations that\u200d fill the town&#8217;s \u200cstreets. The festivities include processions, carol singing, and \u200cthe lighting\u2064 of\u2062 a giant Christmas tree in Manger Square.<\/p>\n<p>However, this year,\u2064 the atmosphere in\u200b Bethlehem\u200d has \u2062been drastically different. \u2064The ongoing \u200dconflict between\u2063 Israel and Hamas has brought devastation and\u2062 despair to the region. The\u200d city, \u200cwhich \u2062heavily relies on tourism, has seen a significant\u2064 decline \u2064in visitors due to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/deeply-concerning-white-house-speaks-out-as-military-coup-rocks-gabon\/\" title=\"White House alarmed by Gabon's military coup.\">travel \u2062restrictions<\/a> and safety \u200cconcerns. The once-bustling \u2063streets of\u200d Bethlehem are now \u200cquiet, and businesses are struggling \u200dto stay afloat.<\/p>\n<p>The Israeli military operation and Hamas \u2062rocket attacks have\u200d resulted \u200bin several deaths\u2062 and \u200bwidespread destruction, causing fear and uncertainty for the \u2064residents of Bethlehem.\u200b The city, which depends on the Christmas season for a significant boost to its\u200b economy, has been\u200d hit particularly hard. Hotels, restaurants, \u2063and souvenir shops that would typically \u2063be bustling with\u200c activity during this time of year are nearly empty.<\/p>\n<p>The constant\u2063 shelling\u2064 and airstrikes have forced many families to\u200b seek refuge in makeshift shelters, \u200bleaving their \u200dhomes and belongings behind.\u2064 The sounds\u2064 of explosions and sirens have replaced\u200c the usual sounds of celebration and joy that\u200c accompany the Christmas season.<\/p>\n<p>The annual \u200cChristmas tree lighting ceremony in Manger Square, one of\u200c the most anticipated\u2064 events in Bethlehem, has \u200balso been \u2062affected. This year,\u200d the ceremony took place with minimal attendance and without the usual fanfare. Instead\u200d of a festive gathering, it was a somber event,\u2063 symbolizing the\u2062 unity \u200dand resilience of the \u2064people in the face of adversity.<\/p>\n<p>Many churches in Bethlehem have canceled Christmas Eve midnight masses\u2062 to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bill-de-blasio-get-your-kids-vaccinated-right-away\/\" title=\"Bill de Blasio: 'Get Your Kids Vaccinated Right Away'\">avoid large gatherings<\/a> and minimize the risk of COVID-19 \u200btransmission. The pandemic\u200d has added another\u2062 layer of \u200bhardship to\u200b the already difficult situation in the \u200bcity. The\u200b absence of\u200b the faithful,\u2062 who would usually flock to the \u2064city\u200d during\u200b this time, adds to the overall feeling \u2062of emptiness and sadness.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the challenging\u200d circumstances, the \u2064people\u200c of Bethlehem\u200d are determined \u2063to keep the spirit of Christmas alive. Local initiatives and organizations \u200bhave been working tirelessly\u2064 to support\u2064 those in need and\u2064 provide assistance to the most\u200d affected communities. Christmas cheer\u2063 can still be found \u2063in \u2062the hearts\u2062 of\u200c the \u200dresidents of Bethlehem as\u200b they hold on to hope for a brighter future.<\/p>\n<p>The \u200dIsraeli-Hamas conflict has \u200dundoubtedly taken a toll on the Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem. However,\u200c the resilience\u2063 and determination of the people, along with the support and solidarity from\u200b around the world, ensure that the spirit of\u2062 Christmas\u200c will not be extinguished. As Mayor Anton Salman aptly stated, &#8220;Bethlehem will remain the capital of Christmas, no matter what circumstances we face.&#8221;<sup>1<\/sup><\/p>\n<p>As we approach the holiday season, let us remember\u2062 the people\u200b of Bethlehem and the challenging times they are going through. May we reflect on the \u2063<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/when-judging-anti-semitism-should-we-accept-ignorance-as-an-excuse\/\" title=\"When Judging Anti-Semitism, Should We Accept Ignorance As An Excuse?\">true meaning<\/a> of Christmas and strive to spread love, \u2064peace, and hope, not just in Bethlehem but throughout the \u2063world.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>References:<\/p>\n<p>1. Gallagher, \u2063C. (2021, December 18). Christmas dispirited \u2063in Bethlehem amid \u2064Israeli-Hamas war. \u2063AP News. https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/religion-travel-israel-palestinian-israel-middle-east-bethlehem-19e5d59c29e6a2b2749d55a4ff00c205<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem, West Bank, are halted due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. Normally a festive spectacle, the town, situated six miles south of Jerusalem, is now overshadowed by the war, dampening the joyous spirit of the season<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2132312,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2132311","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2132311","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2132311"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2132311\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2132312"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2132311"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2132311"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2132311"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}