Bethlehem: Overshadowed by the Gaza war for the second year in a row, the traditional Christmas procession has arrived in Bethlehem, which Christians believe to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ.
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the highest representative of the Catholic Church in the Holy Land, led a convoy of vehicles from Jerusalem and walked the stretch to the Church of the Nativity.
Due to the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza, this year’s celebrations in Bethlehem, in the occupied West Bank, are rather subdued, with many events called off and most tourists staying away.
Tourism accounts for an estimated 70% of the city’s income — almost all of it earned during the Christmas season.
Traditionally, a grand Christmas tree would light up Manger Square, but local authorities opted against elaborate decorations for a second year.
Prayers, including the church’s famed midnight mass, will still be held in the presence of the Patriarch.
Palestinian security forces have kept up a presence around the Church of the Nativity in case of violence.
There are about 182,000 Christians in Israel, 50,000 in the West Bank and Jerusalem and 1,300 in Gaza, according to the US State Department.
