Bethlehem’s blaming Don in holiday flop

WOE, LITTLE Bethlehem.

Locals in the city of Bethlehem are blaming President Trump for ruining Christmas this year with his decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

The city’s Manger Square held its annual Christmas Eve march and worshipers attended Midnight Mass on Sunday, but crowds were significantly thinner.

Locals say tourism was lower than last year. “Trump is the first reason this is a sad Christmas,” Khulud Ilayan, a student at AlQuds Open University, told the Jerusalem Post. “I see less people, and people are sad. All of the people here don’t like that man.”

French tourist Claire Degout said Trump’s decision didn’t deter her from celebrating Christmas in the Holy Land.

“The decision of one man cannot affect all the Holy Land,” Degout said. “Jerusalem belongs to everybody, you know, and it will be always like that, whatever Trump says.”

The President announced on Dec. 6 plans to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and said the U.S. Embassy would move to the holy city from Tel Aviv. His announcement prompted massive protests across the West Bank, Gaza and near Bethlehem.

Anton Salman, Bethlehem’s mayor, said Christmas celebrations were toned down in response to Trump’s foreign policy decision. town of