Christmas celebrations have returned to the birthplace of Jesus after a two-year hiatus, but the joy remains overshadowed by another turbulent year for Palestinians living under an Israeli-occupation in the West Bank.
Morning mass was held at the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem on Thursday, a day after crowds of Palestinians and foreign tourists flocked onto Manger Square to attend celebrations for the first time since they were halted in solidarity with Palestinians suffering a two-year deadly war in Gaza.
Despite the festivities, the numbers of people attending remained limited, which, according to Palestinian politician Mustafa Barghouti, is due to Israeli military checkpoints blocking roads in the West…
