"For the first time in two years, the Christmas tree in Bethlehem lit up the night sky, restoring a glimmer of joy to the birthplace of Jesus after seasons overshadowed by Israel's genocidal war on Gaza. Palestinians watching the lighting said the celebration carried a dual meaning: Hope in the Nativity and a yearning for freedom from the Israeli siege gripping Bethlehem and cities across the occupied territory."
"These celebrations this year are unlike any before, Reverend Munther Isaac, pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church, told Al Jazeera. Bethlehem is beautifully decorated, and the tree is lit, but there is deep sorrow inside every Palestinian. Through these celebrations, Palestinians send a message of resilience to say we are still here, determined to live, to keep Bethlehem the capital of Christmas, and to continue telling its story. Palestinians love life."
Bethlehem lit its Christmas tree for the first time in two years, offering a fragile glimmer of joy amid the Gaza war and an Israeli siege affecting the occupied West Bank. The ceremony was modest and limited to religious rituals, with church leaders and local officials on a stage in Manger Square while thousands gathered, sang hymns, and listened to choirs. Celebrations were tempered by deep sorrow over mass casualties and destruction in Gaza and by economic paralysis and tightening harassment in Bethlehem. Restoring the lights aimed to revive hope for Palestinians and to send solidarity to Gaza and the world.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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