No Christmas tree in Bethlehem as holiday pared down over Gaza war. By Mustafa Abu Ganeyeh. December 2, 2023 12:25 PM UTC Updated December 2, 2023 Item 1 of 6 A monk stands inside the ...

Lehighvalleylive.com’s Steve Novak tosses a Christmas tree during the Peter Kearns Memorial Christmas Tree Toss, Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023, at Mike's More Miles Automotive in Bethlehem.

BETHLEHEM, West Bank — The normally bustling biblical birthplace of Jesus resembled a ghost town on Sunday, as Christmas Eve celebrations in Bethlehem were called off due to the Israel-Hamas war.

The Bethlehem Citizens’ Christmas City Committee is looking for a donation of a pine tree, between 40 and 50 feet high with a single trunk all the way to the top, that will sit in the center of ...

BETHLEHEM, West Bank — The normally bustling biblical birthplace of Jesus resembled a ghost town on Sunday, as Christmas Eve celebrations in Bethlehem were called off due to the Israel-Hamas war.

This year, however, there will only be a shadow of the dazzling Christmas tree in Manger Square, where Christians, Muslims and visitors from around the world usually gather to celebrate.

Bethlehem, a town nearly synonymous with Christmas, is located in what is now the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Many Palestinians are too distressed by the war in Gaza to hold Christmas celebrations.

This Christmas, many of us in Bethlehem just want to stay home, spend time with our families and feel safe. I think of Mary and Joseph in search of a safe place and being turned away, time and again.

BETHLEHEM — Only a few dozen people attended the lighting of the Christmas tree in the biblical city of Bethlehem on Saturday night, as coronavirus restrictions scaled back the annual event that ...

A priest walks by the Church of the Nativity, traditionally believed to be the birthplace of Jesus, on Christmas Eve, in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, Sunday, Dec. 24, 2023.

World News On Christmas Eve, Bethlehem resembles a ghost town. Celebrations are halted due to Israel-Hamas war. People walk by the Church of the Nativity, traditionally believed to be the ...