After a two-year break, Christmas festivities have returned to the birthplace of Jesus. Still, the happiness is nonetheless clouded by another difficult year for Palestinians residing in the West Bank under Israeli rule.
The Church of Nativity in Bethlehem hosted morning service on Thursday, one day after throngs of Palestinians and foreign visitors flocked to Manger Square to see festivities for the first time since they were put on hold in support of Palestinians enduring a devastating two-year conflict in Gaza. Palestinian leader Mustafa Barghouti claims that Israeli military checkpoints obstructing West Bank highways are to blame for the low attendance despite the celebrations.
Barghouti told CNN’s Matthew Chance in Bethlehem on Wednesday that the West Bank is entirely under siege. “Israel blocks the highways. Naturally, a lot of individuals were unable to attend. Many find it extremely difficult to move from one place to another, and many cannot afford to travel.
In the midst of a Palestinian leadership beset by accusations of corruption and slow decision-making, the occupied West Bank saw a dramatic increase in Israeli military operations, record numbers of Palestinian homes being demolished, and an unprecedented growth of Jewish settlements.
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