'It is impossible to celebrate while there is still blood being spilled in the Gaza Strip and dozens of people are killed every day,' the mayor says. This year again, only masses and religious ceremonies will be held on Christmas in Bethlehem
Distance requirements from an Israeli settlement in the West Bank and a network of barriers have prevented Palestinian farmers from tilling their plots to the west of Bethlehem for over seven months
Hotels are empty in Bethlehem and other cities this year, and the worshippers are nowhere to be found. 'Christmas is about joy,' says one tour operator, 'and what is happening in Gaza is a massacre'
Located just south of Jerusalem, Bethlehem is heavily reliant for income and jobs on visitors from all over the world who come to see the Church of the Nativity.