War rages in Gaza, dimming Christmas lights in Bethlehem

AFP | Bethlehem

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Israel yesterday pressed on with its war on Hamas in Gaza, shifting focus to the besieged territory's south as a spiralling death toll has thrown a pall of gloom over Bethlehem on Christmas Eve.

As the war rages on, Christians around the world celebrate Christmas Eve, and festivities are usually held in the occupied West Bank city of Bethlehem where they believe Jesus was born. But this year the city is almost deserted, with few worshippers around and no Christmas tree erected, after church leaders decided to forego "any unnecessarily festive" celebrations, in solidarity with Gazans.

The Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, arrived Sunday at the Church of the Nativity, clad in the traditional black and white keffiyeh. "Our heart goes to Gaza, to all people in Gaza but a special attention to our Christian community in Gaza who is suffering," he said.