Christmas returns to Bethlehem after two-year pause, with ‘half joy, half sadness’
Bethlehem, occupied West Bank: Christmas celebrations returned to Bethlehem after a two-year suspension, on Wednesday evening. Scout troupes marched through Manger Square and surrounding streets, with carols, drums and brass music, blending Christian tradition with Palestinian cultural identity.
The gathering on Christmas Eve drew around 1,500 people, including local residents, Palestinians from across the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and foreign visitors. For many, the revival of public celebrations carried deep emotional weight in a city revered as the birthplace of Jesus, after two years in which festivities were halted in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
Among those present was Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, the highest-ranking Catholic cleric in Palestine. Addressing the crowd, he said Bethlehem had chosen to be a symbol of hope for the world. Referring to his recent visit to Gaza, Pizzaballa recalled witnessing widespread destruction alongside a strong will to live and said Palestinians would rebuild and celebrate again despite devastation.
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Israeli military raids and checkpoints remained in place across the occupied West Bank. Israeli forces arrested three young men from the Dheisheh and Aida refugee camps near Bethlehem just hours before the festivities began.
George Zalloum, a Palestinian Christian from occupied East Jerusalem, said the atmosphere carried both celebration and sorrow. He noted that people in Gaza continues to die, but expressed his hope that the war would end and peace would return to the Holy Land.
According to a BBC report, several visitors said they waited for hours at Israeli checkpoints despite living relatively close to the city. Hussam Zraiqat, who travelled from Birzeit near Ramallah, said the journey was difficult due to prolonged delays. Ghassan Rizqallah from the village of Jifna described waiting more than an hour and a half before being allowed to enter.
Rizqallah told BBC, watching the scout bands and hearing traditional music revived memories of Palestine’s past and reinforced the belief that its people deserved safety and peace.
BBC quoted Bethlehem’s mayor, Maher Canawati, saying that celebrations carried a message beyond the city, describing them as a statement of steadfastness and hope for Bethlehem, Gaza and all Palestinians. He said the event conveyed to the world that Palestinians value life and peace and remain rooted in their land.
Bethlehem’s hotels, many of which had been closed for nearly two years, reopened to receive visitors. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism, hotel occupancy had remained at about 25 percent for much of the year. Elias al-Arja, head of the Palestinian Hotel Association, said losses had reached around $300m, but occupancy rose to 80 percent during the Christmas period, with roughly 8,000 visitors arriving, including Palestinian citizens of Israel and tourists from Europe and the United States.
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Some visitors came specifically to witness the celebrations. Dwayne Jefferson, who travelled from North Carolina in the United States, said the return of Christmas in Bethlehem offered hope that normal life could resume across the region. Jean Charles, visiting from Italy for the first time, described the celebrations as meaningful for all Palestinians, noting the presence of both Christians and Muslims in the square.
For local businesses around Manger Square, the day offered cautious optimism rather than recovery. George Ejha, owner of St Georges Restaurant, said activity had improved compared to recent months but remained far below pre-war levels. Souvenir shop owner Jack Jaqman told BBC, visitor numbers were still insufficient to revive the economy fully, though the celebrations showed Bethlehem’s readiness to welcome pilgrims and tourists again.
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Defamation case: Rahul alleges political malice; UP court sets March 9 hearing
Sultanpur (UP) (PTI): Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday appeared before an MP-MLA court in Uttar Pradesh's Sultanpur and recorded his statement in a 2018 defamation case related to his remarks against Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Gandhi told the court of Special Judge Shubham Verma that the allegations against him were made out of political malice and with an aim of destroying his image and that of his party, the Congress leader's advocate Kashi Prasad Shukla told PTI.
The court fixed March 9 as the next date of hearing on which the Lok Sabha MP from Raebareli has been asked to furnish evidence in his defence, the lawyer said.
Elaborating about the statement given by the Congress leader in the court, his lawyer said Gandhi denied all allegations levelled against him.
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"The allegations are baseless and unfounded. I have never used derogatory words against anyone, nor have I used such language with the intention of defaming anyone. A false complaint has been filed by distorting my statement," Shukla quoted Gandhi as saying.
"The allegations have been made against me out of political malice with the aim of destroying my image and that of my party. I have never used derogatory words against anyone, nor have I used such language with the intention of defaming anyone," Gandhi told the court
As the Congress leader emerged from the court after recording his statement, party supporters raised slogans hailing him. Gandhi smiled and waved at the crowd before leaving.
Gandhi entered the Sultanpur court around 10.40 am and left after recording statements around 11.15 am.
Ahead of the court hearing, some local Congress leaders had put up posters in Sultanpur that read 'Satyamev Jayate' (truth always triumphs).
The case dates back to 2018 when local BJP leader and former chairman of the District Cooperative Bank Vijay Mishra had filed a defamation complaint against Gandhi, alleging that during the Karnataka elections in 2018, the Congress leader made derogatory remarks against the then BJP president and current Union Home Minister Shah.
Santosh Kumar Pandey, the lawyer representing Mishra, said the cross-examination of the plaintiff and two witnesses has been completed.
The trial has been underway for the past five years. In December 2023, a warrant was issued against Gandhi for non-appearance before the court. He surrendered in February 2024, following which a special magistrate granted him bail on two sureties of Rs 25,000 each.
On July 26, 2024, Gandhi recorded his statement before the court, claiming innocence and terming the case a political conspiracy. Thereafter, the court directed the complainant to produce evidence in the case.
