‘We May Face Extinction’: Bethlehem’s Clergy Sound Alarm on Exodus and Extremism Amid Ongoing War
Bethlehem’s economic crisis deepens as tourism collapses during the Gaza conflict
By Giorgia Valente/The Media Line
Bethlehem, the traditional birthplace of Jesus Christ, marked a subdued Christmas, overshadowed by the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the devastating local economy. For the second consecutive year, the city’s Christian community faced a bleak holiday season, with rising fears about the survival of one of the world’s oldest Christian populations.
Friar Ibrahim Faltas, Vicar of the Custody of the Holy Land, told The Media Line, “This has become an open-air prison. On top of the conflict in Gaza, people here have been struggling for 15 months without income, with restricted mobility, and no change in sight.”
The streets of Bethlehem reflected this despair. Many shops were closed, no festive decorations were present, and a few young children persistently distributed candies and small souvenirs to passersby with the goal of earning some money. Groups of locals walked slowly toward Manger Square in front of the Church of the Nativity. Despite the lack of tourism, the square looked packed, given the huge number of foreign press and security forces on every corner.
Palestinian scouts marched silently through the streets at noon, departing from the usual raucous brass band procession. At the end of the march, Latin Patriarch PierbattistaPizzaballa addressed the crowd beside a picture of two Gazan children. “Despite the current suffering you are facing on every front, we stand with you. Do not surrender, do not be afraid, because you are the light in this darkness. This has to be the last Christmas like this,” he declared.
Munther Isaac, senior pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christian Church in Bethlehem, spoke of the importance of resilience. “One year ago, I had the idea to represent the ‘Christ in the rubble’ to show the suffering Palestinians in Gaza have been enduring. This sent a message to the world that Christmas is much more than a recurrence, it is a way to remember who still lives here under oppression and their fight for survival,” he said to The Media Line.
The economic blow to Bethlehem has been severe. Tourism accounts for 70% of the city’s income, mostly generated during the Christmas season. Visitor numbers have plunged from a pre-COVID high of 2 million in 2019 to fewer than 100,000 in 2024.
Anna, an Aramean Christian tour operator, told The Media Line, “I have been jobless since October 7. I am currently economically relying on my husband, who sells electronic devices in his shop here, but we have been struggling, since neither the PA [Palestinian Authority] nor Israel has been able to help us financially. I used to take tourists on tours in Jerusalem and Bethlehem, but everything changed.”
Anna criticized polarized narratives about the conflict, saying, “I am against any form of violence and what both sides did to one another is unacceptable. For this reason, I am against the choice of each side to portray itself as the ‘only victims,’ because in this way,they are just polarizing even more the perception of this conflict abroad.”
“The beauty of our Holy Land, which I gladly define as a whole, despite walls dividing one side from the other, is that there is no black and white, but different shades, that people from the outside often do not see,” she added.
Her husband, a Palestinian ID holder, cannot travel freely as Anna and their children can. She emphasized teaching her children tolerance: “My goal was to teach my kids no resentment toward anyone. The problem of many living here is that they pass their trauma to younger generations and teach hate instead of forgiveness. If we keep doing like this, we will be stuck in this loop of violence forever—Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike,” she noted.
Abood Sobha, a Muslim tour guide and souvenir shop owner, echoed Anna’s struggles. “I am a Muslim Palestinian who benefited from tourism and loved engaging with people from all over the world. I was comfortable economically before the war and I loved to move from my city to other places like Haifa and Tel Aviv, but since I own a Palestinian ID, I have been stuck here for more than a year and I am mentally exhausted,” he told The Media Line.
“We need and want peace, and we cannot keep going like this. Unfortunately, it seems that here in the West Bank, it may even get worse. Look at Jenin and Tulkarem these days,” he added.
His shop, filled with artisanal goods such as glass pieces, leather bags, foulards, handmade carpets, and traditional clothes from Hebron, Nablus, and other areas, has seen almost no sales.
“Most of the things you see here are made by 27 tiny family businesses mainly located in Hebron, here, and Nablus. We value Palestinian artisans but unfortunately we haven’t been able to sell anything the past year. We are thinking to start shipping abroad, because we cannot rely on locals and tourists at the moment,” he said.
The church has become a vital lifeline for struggling families. Father Rami Askarieh, parish priest of the Latin Church of St. Catherine, told The Media Line, “The church has been doing more for the people here than our current government. We offer food coupons, pay electricity bills for those who struggle, and provide medicine and educational fees. Here the PA covers 90% of health expenses, but the remaining 10%—which is a lot of money—has to be covered by our donations. We can’t manage all the time with the increasing numbers of requests.”
Askarieh lamented the decline in Bethlehem’s Christian population. “In 1947, Christians comprised 85% of the city’s population. By 2016, this had decreased to 12%. Today, we are more or less 10%. As other Christians in the region, we may face extinction, despite being one of the most ancient communities,” he said.
Faltas expressed similar fears. “The paradox is that Christians all over the world pray for Bethlehem and its people here, but our people are leaving. Since the breakout of the war,147 Christian families left the city for better opportunities abroad. This is scary. What does the future hold for this community? There are barely 9,000 Christians here.”
Askarieh also raised concerns about rising extremism in the region. For example, in Syria, the small Christian community may be targeted for attacks even more than in the past. He mentioned that Christian tombs were recently vandalized in Hama and the Christmas tree was set on fire.
“Part of my family is Syrian, and just few days ago all the family of my cousin moved to Holland. I am listening carefully to what is unfolding in the country. Extremist political Islam can pose a threat both in Europe and in the region, and religious minorities could pay the price for this. Since it is Christmas, I try to pray that this won’t occur and remain hopeful,” he concluded.
The First Baptist Church of Bethlehem, part of a small but resilient evangelical Christian community, also provided a glimmer of hope. Its leader, Rev. Dr. Naim Khoury, described efforts to ease suffering through Christmas activities, food donations, and spiritual gatherings. “We distributed over 250 food shares to needy families. Spiritually, we thank God that people found some relief and hope through our celebrations,” he told The Media Line.
David Parsons, vice president of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, highlighted a broader trend. “In Bethlehem, the breadwinners, who normally work in Christian tourism or are employed in Israel, are out of work due to the war. So Christmas isn’t so good there this year. Meanwhile, Arab Christians in cities like Nazareth, Haifa, and Old Jaffa have found more opportunities to celebrate alongside Jewish neighbors, fostering social cohesion,” he noted. He described “a lot of interaction over Christmas and Hanukkah this year,” and added, “It’s good to see the communities coming together.”
Despite the challenges, Bethlehem’s religious leaders continue to advocate for peace and hope. Khoury summed up the prevailing sentiment: “We try to plant hope, peace, and love in people’s hearts to help them accept what is happening now in a biblical way.”
Steven Ganot contributed to this report.
PHOTO- Church of the Nativity.jpeg – Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity was almost empty on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, 2024. (Giorgia Valente/The Media Line)
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