Amid Israel’s war on Gaza, since late 2023, which killed more than 70,000 Palestinians and ongoing assaults in the illegal occupied West Bank, the city of Bethlehem did not light its Christmas tree, as Palestinians mourned immense grief, and loss.
Following the recent announced “ceasefire” on 10 October 2025, the holy city decided to relight its traditional giant Christmas tree in front of the historic Church of the Nativity. On December 6, 2025 thousands of Palestinian Christians and Muslims gathered in Bethlehem to mark the moment, sending a powerful message of hope and resilience while defying the darkness of illegal Israeli occupation and reaffirming their pursuit of justice, equality, and freedom.
Sources:
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce86z84e947o
