Quick Read By Fatima Abdulkarim Correspondent
The impact on Bethlehem from the loss of tourism and the Christmastime pilgrimage is hard to overstate: 28,000 of the 35,000 West Bank Palestinians working in tourism who lost their jobs due to the pandemic are from Bethlehem district, and 99% of tourism-related businesses in the area have closed, officials say.
But a tourism-free Christmas in the birthplace of Jesus is bringing something else in its place: Rather than a time of work, hustle, and packed streets, there’s a tranquil focus on family.
Why We Wrote This
For the residents of Bethlehem, as for people around the world, the pandemic’s extreme hardships – amplified in a tourist economy – have been a test of resilience. Yet this Christmas, there is still something to cherish.