For the first time since the conflict in Gaza started more than two years ago, Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank lighted up a tree, bringing Christmas cheer back to the traditional birthplace of Jesus Christ.
The Christmas tree, which lies a few meters from the Church of the Nativity on Manger Square, is covered in gold and red decorations and has come to represent hope. The tree was ignited amid cheers at the conclusion of a two-hour ceremony, with its yellow lights sparkling and a large red star on top dazzling against the overcast night sky illuminated by an almost full moon.
A towering Christmas tree illuminated Manger Square as fathers lifted their children onto their shoulders and the audience, lined by heavily armed police, celebrated after a prayer for peace. The city is celebrating for the first time since the start of the conflict in Gaza.
Abeer Shtaya, a 27-year-old employee at Al Zaytoonah University of Science and Technology in Salfit, West Bank, described it as “like a symbol for resilience.We want to celebrate and be with our brothers and sisters in Bethlehem to enjoy this day,” she said, travelling 100 kilometers with a group of university students.
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