After a two-year pause, Bethlehem’s Manger Square erupted in color and music on Christmas Eve, as the giant tree returned and scouts played bagpipes.
A New Light in Manger Square
Thousands gathered at Bethlehem’s Manger Square on Christmas Eve. The giant Christmas tree, which had been absent during the Israel-Hamas war, was back on Wednesday, overlooking a parade of scouts playing songs on bagpipes.
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the top Catholic leader in the Holy Land, opened the celebrations during the traditional procession from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, calling for “a Christmas full of light.” Arriving in Manger Square, he said he came bearing greetings from Gaza’s tiny Christian community, where he had held a pre-Christmas Mass on Sunday. He added that, amid the devastation, he saw a desire to rebuild.
“We, all together, we decide to be the light, and the light of Bethlehem is the light of the world,” Pizzaballa told the crowd of Christians and Muslims.
Tourism’s Slow Return and Economic Struggles
The war’s impact remains acute. About 80% of Bethlehem’s Muslim-majority residents depend on tourism-related businesses, according to local government data. The majority of those celebrating were residents, with only a handful of foreigners in the crowd.
Georgette Jackaman, a tour guide who had not worked for more than two years, said, “Today is a day of joy, a day of hope, the beginning of the return of normal life here.” She and her husband, Michael Jackaman, both guides from established Christian families, noted this as the first real Christmas celebration for their children, aged 2 ½ and 10 months.
During the Gaza war, the unemployment rate in Bethlehem jumped from 14% to 65%, Mayor Maher Nicola Canawati said earlier this month. About 4,000 people have left Bethlehem in search of work, a trend that is especially concerning for Christians, who now account for less than 2% of the West Bank’s roughly 3 million residents.
A visitor from France, Mona Riewer, explained, “I came because I wanted to better understand what people in Palestine are going through, and you can sense people have been through a very hard time.” She added, “Christmas is like hope in very dark situations, a very vulnerable child experiencing harshness.”
The Scout Parade and Community Spirit
The scouts, representing cities and towns across the West Bank, marched silently for two years as a protest against the war. This year, they streamed through Bethlehem’s streets with Palestinian flags and tartan draped on their bagpipes, while drummers spun mallets adorned with pompoms.
Fadi Zoughbi, who had previously overseen logistics for tour groups, said his children were ecstatic to see the marching bands. Irene Kirmiz, who grew up in Bethlehem and now lives in Ramallah, described the parade as one of her favorite Christmas traditions. Her 15-year-old daughter plays the tenor drum with the Ramallah scouts.
Kirmiz said her family had to wake at 5 a.m. to arrive in time for the parade and waited up to three hours at Israeli checkpoints. The drive, which previously took 40 minutes without checkpoints, had become increasingly difficult for Palestinians.
“It’s very emotional seeing people trying to bounce back, trying to celebrate peace and love,” Kirmiz said.
Key Takeaways
- Bethlehem’s Christmas celebrations resume after a two-year pause, featuring a restored tree and a scout parade.
- The city’s tourism sector is slowly recovering, but unemployment remains high at 65%.
- Residents, especially Christians, are returning to the city, though many have left in search of work.
The return of normal life and holiday spirit in Bethlehem underscores both the resilience of its people and the ongoing challenges they face amid a fragile peace.
