Bethlehem is gearing up for a subdued Christmas

(23 Dec 2023) RESTRICTION SUMMARY: ASSOCIATED PRESS Bethlehem - 23 December 2023 1. Wide of Church of Nativity 2. Mid of bell tower 3. Wide of Manger Square and Church of Nativity in the background 4. Banner on side of building reading (Arabic, English): "Bethlehem's Christmas bells ring for a ceasefire in Gaza; Stop the Genocide; Stop the Displacement; Lift the blockade; Resistance until liberation and return." 5. Set up shot of Hana Hananiyeh, Mayor of Bethlehem 6. SOUNDBITE (English) Hana Hananiyeh, Mayor of Bethlehem: "This Christmas is different than any other Christmas in previous years. Actually, as we're witnessing the aggression against our people in Gaza Strip and the military closure in West Bank, we cannot celebrate Christmas this year. So, as Bethlehem Municipality, we had a decision, a very clear decision, to cancel all festivities and celebrations of Christmas. But we kept the spirit of Christmas. So we kept the status quo as it is. We are going to receive the patriarchs and we are going to pray inside the churches at the midnight masses." 7. Various of the separation wall Between Bethlehem and Jerusalem 8. SOUNDBITE (English) Hana Hananiyeh, Mayor of Bethlehem: "We canceled everything. We canceled the Christmas market, the carols, the activities for kids, because the feeling in Bethlehem, we feel that we are in mourning. We feel very sad as we are an essential part of Palestinian community. And Bethlehem, nowadays, is isolated as the other Palestinian cities. All entrances of Bethlehem are closed now." 9. Various of closed shops in Manger Square 10. Set up shot of Rula Maayah, the Palestinian Minister of Tourism 11. SOUNDBITE (English) Rula Maayah, the Palestinian Minister of Tourism: "Because there are no tourists coming to Palestine during the war, during the aggression in Gaza. Most of the hotels are closed. There are no tourists coming. And also internal tourism, which was usually the case - people coming from different governorates, they are not coming. So most of the hotels are closed, all the souvenir shops are closed and Bethlehem is not celebrating Christmas like other years." 12. Various of Church of Nativity exterior STORYLINE: Bethlehem is gearing up for a subdued Christmas, without the festive lights and customary Christmas tree towering over Manger Square, after officials in Jesus' traditional birthplace decided to forgo celebrations due to the Israel-Hamas war. The cancellation of Christmas festivities, which typically draw thousands of visitors, is a severe blow to the town's tourism-dependent economy. But joyous revelry is untenable at a time of immense suffering of Palestinians in Gaza, said Mayor Hana Hananiyeh. "As we're witnessing the aggression against our people in Gaza Strip and the military closure in West Bank, we cannot celebrate Christmas this year," Hananiyeh told The Associated Press on Saturday. Since Oct. 7, access to Bethlehem and other Palestinian towns in the Israeli-occupied West Bank has been difficult, with long lines of motorists waiting to pass military checkpoints. The restrictions have also prevented many Palestinians from exiting the territory to work in Israel. City leaders fret about the impact the closures have on the small Palestinian economy in the West Bank, already struggling with a dramatic fall in tourism since the start of the war. The Palestinian tourism sector has incurred losses of $2.5 million a day, amounting to $200 million by the end of the year, the Palestinian Tourism Minister Rula Maayah said Saturday. The sober mood this year isn't confined to Bethlehem. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...