As Christmas approaches this year, the twinkling lights usually embellishing Manger Square and the iconic Christmas tree, symbolizing the season in Bethlehem, are absent. Unwrapped presents lay waste to dust, Santa's jingle bells fall silent, and the resonating choruses of carolers are merely an echo in the wind. This nonpareil town, known as the birthplace of Jesus, bids a somber farewell to its conventional Christmas celebrations.
Bethlehem's decision is rooted in empathy for the unearthly pain endured by her Palestinian brothers and sisters amidst the war between Israel and Hamas. Stripping away the jingle of Christmas, does not feel like a loss when stacked against the panorama of suffering in Gaza. The Mayor of Bethlehem, Hana Haniyeh, paints a gloomy picture of a sinking economy but insists that it pales when juxtaposed with the price of human lives in Gaza.
