Bethlehem is preparing for another somber Christmas under the shadow of war in Gaza. ... 50,000 in the West Bank and Jerusalem and 1,300 in Gaza, according to the U.S. State Department.

In the last year of British rule over the region in 1947, some 85% of Bethlehem's population were Christian. As of a 2017 census, the overall population of Bethlehem was 215,514 with only 23,000 ...

Nuns walk along the Church of the Nativity, traditionally believed to be the birthplace of Jesus, on Christmas Eve, in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias ...

BETHLEHEM, West Bank — Bethlehem marked another somber Christmas Eve on Tuesday in the traditional birthplace of Jesus under the shadow of war in Gaza. The excitement and cheer that typically ...

Since the deadly Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack that sparked the war, access to and from Bethlehem and other towns in the West Bank has been difficult, with long lines of motorists waiting to pass ...

BETHLEHEM, West Bank, Dec 1 (Reuters) - For a second year running, there is no Christmas cheer in Bethlehem, with tourists shunning the Palestinian city and many residents seeking a way out as the ...

Murals cover Israel’s separation barrier in the West Bank city of Bethlehem on Christmas Eve, Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2024. By The Associated Press PUBLISHED: December 24, 2024 at 4:12 PM PST ...

BETHLEHEM, West Bank -- Bethlehem marked another somber Christmas Eve on Tuesday in the traditional birthplace of Jesus under the shadow of war in Gaza. Skip to content Open sections menu Sections.

BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) — Bethlehem prepared Tuesday to mark another somber Christmas in the traditional birthplace of Jesus under the shadow of war in Gaza. The excitement and cheer that ...

There are about 182,000 in Israel, 50,000 in the West Bank and Jerusalem and 1,300 in Gaza, according to the U.S. State Department. Elsewhere, worshippers found connection despite difficult times.

Nuns walk along the Church of the Nativity, traditionally believed to be the birthplace of Jesus, on Christmas Eve, in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2024.

BETHLEHEM, West Bank — Bethlehem marked another somber Christmas Eve on Tuesday in the traditional birthplace of Jesus under the shadow of war in Gaza. The excitement and cheer that typically ...