Bethlehem is set to mark a second subdued Christmas

A man carves wooden figurines in his workshop in the biblical city of Bethlehem. Pic/AFP

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 typically descends on the Palestinian town in the occupied West Bank on Christmas were nowhere to be found: The festive lights and giant tree that normally decorate Manger Square were missing. Throngs of foreign tourists that usually fill the square weren't expected and youth marching bands that gather each year to mark the holiday were absent.

Palestinian security forces arranged barriers near the Nativity Church, built atop the spot where Jesus is believed to have been born, and a worker cleared garbage bins. "These days, we are sending our message to the world: peace and hope, but insisting that the world must work to end our suffering as Palestinian people," said Mayor Anton Salman

The cancellation of Christmas festivities is a severe blow to the town's economy. Tourism accounts for an estimated 70 per cent of Bethlehem's income - almost all of it from the Christmas season. Salman said unemployment is around 50 per cent - higher than the 30 per cent unemployment across the the West Bank.

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