The most somber Christmas season in Bethlehem

According to Reuters, hotels, restaurants, and souvenir shops in Bethlehem are deserted these days, and the city is eerily quiet.

The dominant news stories since October 7th have been the Hamas attacks in southern Israel. This was followed by the Israeli military offensive in Gaza, plus escalating violence in the West Bank. Business owners in Bethlehem are realizing that no one will dare come here anymore.

"We're doing terribly. Not a single guest is coming to stay," said Joey Canavati, owner of the Alexander Hotel, sadly.

This is the saddest Christmas ever. Bethlehem is closed for Christmas. No Christmas tree, no joy, no Christmas spirit, says the hotel owner, whose family has lived and worked in Bethlehem for four generations.

Located just south of Jerusalem, Bethlehem's primary source of income depends on tourists from around the world who come to see the Church of the Nativity, a place that Catholics believe is the birthplace of Jesus.

Mr. Canavati asserted that before October 7th, his hotel was fully booked for Christmas. Since the conflict began, everything has gone downhill in an instant, including bookings for 2024.

He illustrated this point to Reuters journalists with empty rooms and eerily silent dining rooms.

“Before, we had at least 120 people eating here every night, it was crowded. There was a lot of noise, people moving around. Now it’s empty. No Christmas breakfast, no Christmas dinner, no Christmas buffet, not a sound,” said Mr. Canavati.

Bethlehem's Manger Square, a large paved area in front of the Church of the Nativity, is usually the center of Christmas celebrations. Now, the square is deserted. Most souvenir shops are closed.

Rony Tabash used to sell crosses, statues of the Virgin Mary, and other religious items in his family shop. Now he just sweeps the shelves to kill time.

"For almost two months, there haven't been any pilgrims or tourists here," he lamented, adding that he keeps his shop open as a way to forget the despair. "We want to feel that things will return to normal, like life is back to normal," he said.

Ala'a Salameh, owner of the Afteem falafel restaurant, observes that his business is only 10-15% of what it used to be. They mainly serve local Palestinian families, rather than the usual influx of foreign tourists.

“We pray for peace. Bethlehem is the city where peace was born, so it must be a messenger for peace to spread throughout the world,” Salameh expressed his hope.