Palestinian Christians struggle to find hope at Christmas

The small occupied West Bank town of Bethlehem has good reason to consider itself the capital of Christmas but this year it doesn’t make sense.

There are very few tourists who are usually at the peak. The front of the Church of the Nativity doesn’t have any festive decorations or the huge Christmas tree that was erected on the spot where Jesus is believed to have been born.

Public Christmas celebrations have been canceled for the second year running because of the war in Gaza. Palestinian Christians only attend religious ceremonies and family gatherings.

“This should be a time of joy and happiness,” says Reverend Dr Munther Isaac, pastor of the Lutheran church. “But Bethlehem is a sad town in solidarity with our brothers in Gaza.”

In his church, a Nativity scene shows the baby Jesus lying in a pile of rubble. At the beginning of Christmas, the prayer service focused on the current crisis in Gaza.

“It’s hard to believe that another Christmas has come and the carnage hasn’t ended,” Isaac said in his powerful sermon. “The decision-makers are content to let this continue. For them, the Palestinian people are the ones who can help them.”

Israel strongly denies the allegations of genocide in Gaza and judges at the UN High Court have yet to issue a verdict on the genocide case, which was brought to South Africa.

Many of the Bethlehem Christians I meet are discouraged and question what they see as the failure of other Christian groups around the world to speak clearly.

Solidarity among members of Palestine’s small Christian community means many locals have family and friends in Gaza.

“My mother told me that what we see on television does not show one percent of what is happening,” says theologian Dr Yousef Khouri, from Gaza City.

His parents and sister are among the few hundred Christians who have spent the past 14 months hiding in two Gazan churches.

“They are suffering from all the hunger in Gaza. In fact, almost without sleep because of the bombs, because of all the drones flying over their heads and the lack of medical care and services,” he says.

“We have lost our friends and family.”

In Gaza, more than 45,000 people have been killed in the war that was unleashed in response to Hamas attacks in southern Israel. The figures come from the Hamas-run health ministry but are considered reliable by the UN and others. The strike on 7 October 2023 killed around 1,200 people – Israelis and other foreigners – and led to around 250 being arrested.

Conflict has escalated in the West Bank like a war. Israel has imposed new restrictions on the movement of Palestinians and revoked the permits of thousands of workers who pass through Jerusalem or Jewish communities every day.

The economy is in dire straits, especially in Bethlehem, which relies heavily on tourism which is about to cease. The guides stand near the Church of the Nativity, feeding the pigeons.

“If there is one [are] Tourists, all people will work: hotels, transport, accommodation, all of this,” says another director, Abdullah. [if] There [are] there are no strangers, there is no life in the city of Bethlehem.

“I’m broke! No business! For more than a year we’ve been staying at home,” says Adnan Subah, a souvenir seller on Star Street.

“My son is a tour guide at the church, we live at home, all my children live. No work, no business, no visitors.”

Many local Christian and Muslim families have migrated over the past year. With the constant threat of violence and the expansion of settlements in areas where the Palestinian people have been seeking an independent state, there is increasing fear and uncertainty about the future.

But a group of people in Bethlehem is trying to change things: packing food parcels for the needy. There is no government support yet, and volunteers have been collecting donations – including from those abroad.

“As you know Christmas is the spirit of giving and love and joy. And we hope with this package we can give hope and joy to the families of our community,” says Wael Shaer, head of the Palestine Lions Club.

I follow Wael as he brings his first to the woman who lives in the next room. Her husband is ill and unemployed. Gratefully, he opens the box of things he was given and takes the money envelope.

He and Wael exchange holiday greetings wishing each other a peaceful year.

“Mission accomplished!” Wael tells me we are leaving.

“Spreading a little cheer on Christmas.”