Virus to restrict Bethlehem celebrations

RAMALLAH, West Bank — The mayor of Bethlehem said Thursday that Christmas celebrations in the birthplace of Jesus will be limited to just a handful of people this year as Palestinian officials announced a strict new lockdown across the West Bank due to a soaring coronavirus outbreak.

In an interview, Mayor Anton Salman said his town would hold its traditional welcoming ceremony for the Latin Patriarch, who is usually greeted by children’s marching bands as he arrives from nearby Jerusalem. But he said the scout bands would be limited only to local residents because of the new lockdown restrictions.

“We will observe all health protocols in terms of social distance, wearing masks and safety measures to prevent the transmission of the virus,” Salman said.

The Christmas season is usually the highlight of the year in Bethlehem, where Christians believe Jesus was born, as thousands of pilgrims from around the world gather around its iconic Christmas tree and attend religious services at the Church of the Nativity. But the coronavirus has decimated the tourism industry, and shops, restaurants and hotels are shuttered.

Salman said the restrictions mean that people from elsewhere in the West Bank or neighboring Israel will not be allowed to enter town for Christmas. He said Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has been invited, but the 85-year-old leader decided not to attend because of the health situation.