Thousands of people gathered in Manger Square on Christmas Eve, filling the historic plaza with families, music and decorations in a vibrant return to holiday traditions after two years of subdued or canceled festivities amid the war in Gaza.
The giant Christmas tree, absent during the height of the Israel-Hamas conflict, once again towered over the square Wednesday, watching over a parade of hundreds of smartly dressed Palestinian scouts playing familiar Christmas carols on bagpipes. The scouts, representing towns across the West Bank and adorned with Palestinian flags alongside tartan, marched with renewed energy — a stark contrast to the silent processions held in protest during the previous two years.
The city revered by Christians as the birthplace of Jesus had muted its celebrations since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023, opting for minimal decorations and events in solidarity with those suffering in the besieged enclave. This year marked a clear shift, with the return of public joy signaling hope amid a fragile ceasefire that took effect in October 2025.
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem and top Catholic leader in the Holy Land, led the traditional procession from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, crossing the separation barrier and calling for “a Christmas full of light.”
“After two years of darkness, we need light,” Pizzaballa said as he made his way to Manger Square. Upon arrival, he brought greetings from Gaza’s small Christian community, where he had celebrated a pre-Christmas Mass on Sunday. Despite the widespread devastation there, he noted a persistent “desire for life and to rebuild.”
“We, all together, we decide to be the light, and the light of Bethlehem is the light of the world,” he told the crowd of thousands — Christians and Muslims alike — gathered in the square.
While the atmosphere brimmed with cheer, the war’s lingering effects remain stark in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Bethlehem, where about 80% of residents rely on tourism-related businesses, saw its economy devastated during the conflict. Unemployment surged from 14% to 65%, according to Mayor Maher Nicola Canawati, prompting around 4,000 people to leave the city in search of work.
The vast majority of Wednesday’s celebrants were local Palestinians, with only a small number of foreign visitors present. Still, some residents expressed cautious optimism about recovery as domestic tourism gradually picks up, potentially paving the way for international pilgrims to return.
“Today is a day of joy, a day of hope, the beginning of the return of normal life here,” said Georgette Jackaman, a Bethlehem tour guide who has been out of work for more than two years. “People are desperate, but after two years, everyone wants to celebrate.”
Tensions persist across the West Bank, where Israel’s military continues frequent raids described as efforts to counter militants. Settler attacks on Palestinians have reached record levels since tracking began in 2006, according to U.N. data. The internationally recognized Palestinian Authority exercises limited control in parts of the territory, including Bethlehem.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was expected to attend the midnight Mass at the Church of the Nativity on Wednesday night for the first time in two years, the mayor said.
For many in Bethlehem, the revived festivities offered a moment of resilience and a prayer for lasting peace in a region long marked by division.
