Bethlehem: For the second year in a row, preparations for Christmas in the city of Bethlehem are affected by the Corona Virus. The low crowd and gloomy atmosphere at the birthplace of Jesus Christ on Friday faded the celebrations. Israel has banned almost all incoming flights from outside.
It is the main entry point for foreign visitors to the West Coast. Due to this, international tourists avoided coming here for the second consecutive year. The ban is to slow the spread of the highly contagious Omicron form, which has affected Christmas celebrations around the world. Bethlehem’s mayor, Tony Salman, said the city is optimistic that 2021 will be better than last year’s Christmas when local residents also stayed home due to lockdown restrictions.
Salman said, “Last year, the festival was celebrated digitally but this year it will be with the direct participation of the people.” Police had put up barricades in the early hours of Friday before the scout band marched through Manger Square. This march of the scout band took place from Jerusalem before the arrival of the Roman priest Pierbattista Pizzaballa on the Holy Land.
The Pizzaballa is to attend a special nightly prayer at the nearby Church of the Nativity. There is the place where Christians believe that Jesus was born. Around 100 tourists gathered near these barricades, most of whom were Palestinians.
