Under the shadow of war in Gaza, Jesus' traditional birthplace is gearing up for a subdued...

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Under the shadow of war in Gaza, Jesus’ traditional birthplace is gearing up for a subdued Christmas
By JULIA FRANKEL and JALAL BWAITEL
Updated 2:05 PM EST, December 16, 2023

BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) — Bethlehem is gearing up for a subdued Christmas, without the festive lights and customary Christmas tree towering over Manger Square, after officials in Jesus’ traditional birthplace decided to forgo celebrations due to the Israel-Hamas war.

The cancellation of Christmas festivities, which typically draw thousands of visitors, is a severe blow to the town’s tourism-dependent economy. But joyous revelry is untenable at a time of immense suffering of Palestinians in Gaza, said Mayor Hana Haniyeh.

“The economy is crashing,” Haniyeh told The Associated Press on Friday. “But if we compare it with what’s happening to our people and Gaza, it’s nothing.”
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