© Reuters. A view of shuttered memento outlets across the Manger Square in Bethlehem, within the Israeli-occupied West Bank, December 9, 2023. REUTERS/Lucy Marks
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By Sinan Abu Mayzer and Lucy Marks
BETHLEHEM, West Bank (Reuters) – Bethlehem is generally at its busiest at Christmas however this yr battle has scared away vacationers and pilgrims from the Palestinian city within the Israeli-occupied West Bank, leaving lodges, eating places and memento outlets abandoned.
With world headlines dominated since Oct. 7 by information of the Hamas assaults in southern Israel, adopted by Israel’s navy assault on Gaza and an increase in violence within the West Bank, enterprise house owners in Bethlehem mentioned nobody was coming.
“We have no guests. Not one,” mentioned Joey Canavati, proprietor of the Alexander Hotel, whose household has lived and labored in Bethlehem for 4 generations.
“This is the worst Christmas ever. Bethlehem is shut down for Christmas. No Christmas tree, no joy, no Christmas spirit,” he mentioned.
Located simply south of Jerusalem, Bethlehem is closely reliant for revenue and jobs on guests from all around the world who come to see the Church of the Nativity, believed by Christians to face on the location the place Jesus was born.
Canavati mentioned that earlier than Oct. 7, his lodge was absolutely booked for Christmas, to the purpose that he was on the lookout for rooms elsewhere within the city to assist out individuals he couldn’t slot in.
Since the battle began, everybody cancelled, together with bookings for subsequent yr. “All we get on the email is cancellation after cancellation after cancellation,” mentioned Canavati.
He took Reuters TV on a tour of the lodge, opening doorways to empty rooms and displaying the silent eating room.
“We had at least 120 people having dinner here every night and it was packed. The noise, the people. Empty. No Christmas breakfast, no Christmas dinner, no Christmas buffet,” he mentioned.
SURGE IN ATTACKS
Since the 1967 battle between Israel and neighbouring Arab international locations, Israel has occupied the West Bank, which Palestinians need because the core of a future unbiased state.
Israel has constructed Jewish settlements, deemed unlawful by most international locations, throughout the territory. Israel disputes this, citing historic and biblical ties to the land. Several of its ministers reside in settlements and favour their enlargement.
Since Oct. 7, the West Bank has skilled an increase in assaults by Jewish settlers on Palestinians, which have been already at a 15-year excessive this yr earlier than the Hamas assault.
Bethlehem’s Manger Square, a big paved house in entrance of the Church of the Nativity that normally serves as a focus for Christmas celebrations, was quiet and virtually empty, as have been close by streets the place most memento outlets have been shuttered.
Rony Tabash, who sells crucifixes, statuettes of the Virgin Mary and different spiritual trinkets in his household’s retailer, was tidying cabinets and merchandise to go the time.
“We are almost two months without any pilgrim, any tourist,” he mentioned, including that he was holding the shop open as a method to stave off hopelessness.
“We want to feel that everything will be back, like to normal life,” he mentioned.
Ala’a Salameh, proprietor of falafel restaurant Afteem, mentioned his enterprise was working at 10% or 15% of capability, catering for native Palestinian households fairly than the same old inflow of international guests.
He mentioned he was holding the restaurant open as a result of his workers wanted the work.
“I have workers, so from where I can give them money to take and to feed their families, their kids?” he mentioned.
“We are praying for peace. For peace. You know, Bethlehem is the city where peace was born, so it should be the messenger for peace to be spread all over the world.”
