Bethlehem set to mark second subdued Christmas during war in Gaza
Bethlehem (West Bank), Dec 24: Bethlehem prepared on Tuesday to mark another sombre Christmas in the traditional birthplace of Jesus under the shadow of war in Gaza.
The excitement and cheer that typically descends on the Palestinian town in the occupied West Bank on Christmas were nowhere to be found: The festive lights and giant tree that normally decorate Manger Square were missing. Throngs of foreign tourists that usually fill the square weren't expected and youth marching bands that gather each year to mark the holiday were absent.
Palestinian security forces arranged barriers near the Nativity Church, built atop the spot where Jesus is believed to have been born, and a worker cleared garbage bins.
"Always the message of Bethlehem is a message of peace and hope," said Mayor Anton Salman. “And these days, we are also sending our message to the world: peace and hope, but insisting that the world must work to end our suffering as Palestinian people.”
The cancellation of Christmas festivities is a severe blow to the town's economy. Tourism accounts for an estimated 70 per cent of Bethlehem's income — almost all of it from the Christmas season. Salman said unemployment is hovering around 50 per cent — higher than the 30 per cent unemployment across the rest of the West Bank, according to the Palestinian Finance Ministry.
The number of visitors to the town plunged from a pre-COVID high of around 2 million visitors per year in 2019 to fewer than 100,000 visitors in 2024, said Jiries Qumsiyeh, the spokesperson for the Palestinian Tourism Ministry.
Bethlehem is an important centre in the history of Christianity, but Christians make up only a small percentage of the roughly 14 million people spread across the Holy Land. There are about 182,000 in Israel, 50,000 in the West Bank and Jerusalem and 1,300 in Gaza, according to the US State Department.
While the war in Gaza has deterred tourists and pilgrims alike, it has also prompted a surge of violence in the West Bank, with more than 800 Palestinians killed by Israeli fire and dozens of Israelis killed in Hamas group attacks.
Since the October 7, 2023, attack that sparked the war, access to and from Bethlehem and other Palestinian towns in the West Bank has been difficult, with long lines of motorists waiting to pass Israeli military checkpoints. Restrictions have also prevented some 150,000 Palestinians from leaving the territory to work in Israel, causing the economy there to contract by 25 per cent.
More than 45,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to health officials there, while some 90 per cent of the territory's 2.3 million residents have been displaced. Officials say more than half of the dead are women and children, though they don't give a breakdown of how many are civilians and how many fighters.
In the October 7 assault on southern Israel, Hamas-led group killed about 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and took more than 250 hostages.
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Akhilesh Yadav questions BJP government's preparedness for Mahakumbh, offers help
Lucknow (UP) (PTI): Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday questioned the Uttar Pradesh government's preparedness for the upcoming Mahakumbh and accused it of mismanagement.
In a social media post, the opposition leader flagged several issues regarding security arrangements, local concerns and overall administration in Prayagraj, urging the government to take immediate corrective action.
"This is the truth of preparations for 'Prayagraj Mahakumbh 2025' under the BJP government! At least the work of the police department should have been completed long ago because the management of the security circle does not wait for the last day," he said on X.
The former chief minister of the state also drew attention to the alleged delay in addressing the needs of local residents and the fair area, stating that people in Prayagraj were questioning the government's priorities.
"The aggrieved people of Prayagraj are asking that the BJP government was very prompt in removing the statue of 'Mahadani' Emperor Harshvardhan, but why is the same speed not being shown for administrative management?"
Yadav highlighted complaints about the "neglect" of local issues, such as transportation and movement around the Mahakumbh area.
"Alternative arrangements should also be made to address the concerns of the residents of Prayagraj about movement and transportation in case of an emergency," he added.
While expressing his party's support for the successful conduct of the Mahakumbh, Yadav emphasised that the local administration must act swiftly to address these gaps. "We want the Mahakumbh to go on and Prayagraj to also remain dynamic."
The SP president said his party is ready to assist the government as the "BJP people would be "busy earning money or in election planning".
"If the government-administration has failed in the preparations for the Mahakumbh, then we propose to send our true and dedicated workers to help because the BJP people would be busy earning money or in election planning," he said in a dig at the ruling party.
