Christmas spirit returns to Bethlehem after ceasefire in Gaza

BETHLEHEM, West Bank — At midnight on Christmas Eve, the words of the traditional hymn ''The Night of Christmas'' will ring out in the tiny grotto in Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity, built on the site where Christians believe Jesus Christ was born.

''On the night of Christmas, war is buried, On the night of Christmas, love is born,'' a local choir sings each year during the midnight service. As they rehearsed ahead of this year's service, many choir members said the words echoed with deeper meaning following the ceasefire in Gaza.

''It reminds us that no matter the difficulties, the darkness, there is always a light and that hope is always alive,'' said Joseph Hazboun, the conductor of the lay choir made up of local Catholics.

For the past two years, as the war in Gaza dragged on, Christmas in Bethlehem has been a somber affair, without the traditional festivities and decorations and music. But this year, families are flocking again to Manger Square, signaling hope about the fragile ceasefire and providing a much-needed economic boost to Bethlehem.

On a recent visit, Manger Square was crowded and buzzing with festive lights, a Christmas market, and music shows for children.

''You can see the town come alive again,'' said Zoya Thalgia, a resident of Bethlehem. ''Everyone's happy, everyone's coming out to celebrate, no matter religion, no matter their stance, everyone is here.''

Bethlehem's economy and spirit have been strained by war

But during the Gaza war, the unemployment rate in the city jumped from 14% to 65%, Bethlehem Mayor Maher Nicola Canawati said earlier this month. And in previous years, as an act of protest, some churches created Nativity scenes with Jesus as an infant surrounded by rubble and barbed wire.

Despite the ceasefire that began in October, tensions remain high across much of the West Bank.

Israel's military has said it is cracking down on militants in the territory and carrying out frequent raids. Attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank this year reached their highest level since the U.N. humanitarian office started collecting data in 2006.

The endurance of Christianity in the Holy Land

Odette Al Sliby, a Bethlehem resident, has sung in choirs since she was seven years old, but she said few things compare to being able to sing in the grotto at the midnight Mass.

Christians account for less than 2% of the West Bank's roughly 3 million residents, a presence that has been shrinking.

As poverty and unemployment have soared during the war, about 4,000 people have left Bethlehem in search of work, the mayor said. It's part of a worrying trend for Christians, who are leaving the region in droves.

Across the Middle East, the Christian population has steadily declined as people have fled conflict and attacks.

Hazboun said he will pray this Christmas that the Christian population of Bethlehem and of other areas in the region important to Christianity don't shrink any further.

The return of Christmas festivities across the West Bank, including a Christmas market in Ramallah thronged with visitors, is a much-needed break for local children, said Hazboun.