"The whole world is celebrating Christmas this year but not Bethlehem, not the birthplace of our lord Jesus Christ," said the Palestinian minister of tourism, Rula Ma'ayah.
This Sunday, he highlighted the calm at the epicentre of the festival due to the conflict in Gaza.
"Bethlehem is celebrating Christmas with sadness and sorrow because of what’s happening in Gaza and in all the West Bank, all Palestinian Territories.
“Like other years, we used to celebrate Christmas with joy and happiness with scouts and people coming from all Palestinian governorates and tourists from all over the world.
"Unfortunately this year, we’re receiving Christmas without tourists from the world and without Palestinians from other governorates because of the war on Gaza.”
Most years Bethlehem basks in its renown as the birthplace of Jesus. Pilgrims usually flock to the reputed location of the stable where he spent his first hours in Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity.
But with Israel's campaign in Gaza having killed more than 20,000 people according to Palestinian health authorities in the Hamas-run enclave, mourning has enveloped the area.
“Unfortunately this year, we’re receiving Christmas without tourists from around the world and without Palestinians from other governorates because of the war on Gaza,” lamented Ma’ayah.
(With newswires)
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