Christmas returns to Holy Land cities as Bethlehem’s Christian population dwindles, Nazareth remains strong

Christmas celebrations returned this twelvemonth to some Bethlehem and Nazareth, but nan play is unfolding very otherwise successful nan 2 cities that beryllium astatine nan bosom of Christianity — Bethlehem, nan birthplace of Jesus, and Nazareth, wherever he lived.

In Nazareth, festivities are wide and confident, rooted successful a increasing Christian beingness successful Israel. In Bethlehem, nan birthplace of Jesus, celebrations took spot again aft much than 2 years of disruption, but against nan backdrop of a semipermanent demographic diminution and heavy interest wrong nan section Christian community.

Elias Zarina, a elder interrogator astatine nan Jerusalem Center for Applied Policy and a longtime Christian activist, said nan semipermanent numbers underscore nan concern. Christians made up 86% of Bethlehem’s organization successful 1950, Zarina said. By nan past Palestinian census successful 2017, they accounted for astir 10%. He added that since nan Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas onslaught connected Israel, astatine slightest 142 Christian families person near nan Bethlehem area.

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People stitchery adjacent to nan Christmas character astatine Manger Square connected nan time of Christmas events pinch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, connected Christmas Eve, successful nan Old City of Bethlehem successful nan West Bank, Dec. 24, 2025.  (Mussa Qawasma/Reuters)

"They saw what happened connected Oct. 7 and understood that minorities successful this region person nary early without existent protection," Zarina said.

In Nazareth, Josh Reinstein, head of nan Knesset Christian Allies Caucus and president of nan Israel Allies Foundation, described a sharply different reality, which he said reflects governance and security.

"Nazareth is simply a wholly different situation," Reinstein said. "It’s an indigenous Christian organization under nan authority of Israel, and it grows each year. It prospers."

Reinstein pointed to economical and societal indicators to make his case, noting that while Christians dress up astir 2% of Israel’s population, "Christian communities person nan highest GDP per capita compared to Jews, Muslims and Druze," he said. "They’re respected, they’re protected, and they person nan aforesaid authorities arsenic everyone else."

Reinstein contrasted that pinch Bethlehem’s trajectory since nan 1990s.

"Since nan Oslo accords successful nan 90s, nan Christian organization of Bethlehem has been decimated by nan Palestinian Authority," Reinstein told Fox News Digital. "Bethlehem was erstwhile a metropolis pinch an overwhelming Christian majority. Today, Christians are astir 10% of nan population, and they are nary longer represented successful nan municipality. That tells you everything astir what has happened there."

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A man wearing a Santa Claus costume takes portion successful nan 40th yearly Christmas parade heading towards nan Basilica of nan Annunciation connected December 24, 2025, successful Nazareth, Israel. Nazareth, nan location of Jesus, according to nan New Testament, has seen a return of Christmastime tourism this twelvemonth aft 2 years successful which celebrations were muted amid nan warfare successful Gaza. Nazareth, successful Israel's Galilee region, is simply a predominately Arab town, astir one-third of whom are Christian, pinch nan mostly being Muslim. (Amir Levy/Getty Images)

Bethlehem did people Christmas this year. Crowds gathered successful Manger Square, nan Christmas character was lit, and belief ceremonies took spot astatine nan Church of nan Nativity. Local officials framed nan celebrations arsenic a motion of resilience and an effort to task normalcy aft years of warfare and economical collapse.

Zarina, however, said nan Palestinian Authority’s determination to let Christmas events this twelvemonth should beryllium viewed successful context.

"In caller months, nan Palestinian Authority has sought to reintroduce itself to world nationalist opinion, peculiarly to nan Christian world, done symbolic festive displays specified arsenic nan Christmas character lighting ceremonial successful Bethlehem," Zarina said successful comments provided to Fox News Digital. "These efforts are meant to marketplace nan Palestinian Authority arsenic moderate, particularly arsenic discussions proceed astir Gaza’s future. But events connected nan crushed complete conscionable a fewer days person sharply contradicted that image."

Clergy members stand, connected nan time Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa attends Christmas celebrations successful Bethlehem, successful nan West Bank, connected Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, 2025. (Ammar Awad/Reuters)

Zarina noted that respective incidents targeting Christians occurred wrong a azygous week up of Christmas, including threats against churches and convulsive assaults tied to onshore disputes.

"Christians successful these areas are subjected to a systematic argumentation manifested done harassment, violence, psychological terror, forced displacement and nan confiscation of spot by extremist families driven by rigid Salafi ideology and supported morally and financially by states known for backing extremist movements, foremost among them Turkey and Qatar," he claimed. "In this context, nan Palestinian Authority appears either incapable aliases unwilling to enforce nan norm of rule and protect nan Christian minority."

Recent incidents successful nan Palestinian Authority area of power person reinforced those concerns. A religion successful Jenin was firebombed earlier this week, and a Christmas character was group connected occurrence extracurricular different church. Israel’s Foreign Ministry responded by informing of "growing hostility toward Christians" nether Palestinian Authority governance.

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And while Israel has occasionally seen attacks against its Christian community by extreme religious-nationalist elements who person been accused of vandalizing belief sites and utilizing verbal assaults aimed astatine clergy, successful his Christmas message, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel is simply a federation that looks aft its Christian population.

He stated successful part, "Israel is nan only state successful nan Middle East wherever Christians tin believe their religion pinch afloat authorities and successful full freedom. Where Christian pilgrims are embraced pinch unfastened arms and are truthful profoundly appreciated. Where Christians tin observe proudly their traditions and openly do truthful without immoderate fear," he said, adding, "The persecution of Christians aliases members of immoderate belief cannot and must not beryllium tolerated."

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Zarina said that Christian residents successful adjacent Beit Jala and successful Nablus avoided visible festivities retired of fearfulness of harassment.

Not each Christian leaders successful Bethlehem stock nan aforesaid assessment. Pastor Naim Khoury told Israeli news agency TPS-IL that conditions successful Bethlehem itself person improved this twelvemonth and that, truthful far, he has not seen attacks connected to nan holiday. Other activists, however, reason that fearfulness limits what galore Christians are consenting to opportunity publicly.

"The Christians are nether tremendous unit and cannot speak freely," said Shadi Khalloul, laminitis and CEO of nan Israeli Christian Aramaic Association, successful comments to TPS-IL. "They are trying to past quietly."

The opposition is besides reflected successful charismatic demographic data. According to figures released this week by Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics and reported by TPS-IL, astir 184,200 Christians unrecorded successful Israel arsenic of Christmas Eve 2025, accounting for astir 1.9% of nan population. The Christian organization grew by 0.7% successful 2024, making Israel 1 of nan fewer countries successful nan Middle East wherever nan Christian organization continues to grow.

People return portion successful nan 40th yearly Christmas parade connected December 24, 2025, successful Nazareth, Israel. Nazareth, nan location of Jesus, according to nan New Testament, has seen a return of Christmas tourism this twelvemonth aft 2 years successful which celebrations were muted amid nan warfare successful Gaza. Nazareth, successful Israel's Galilee region, is simply a predominately Arab town, astir one-third of whom are Christian pinch nan mostly being Muslim.  (Amir Levy/Getty Images)

Nazareth is astatine nan halfway of that growth. The metropolis has nan largest Arab Christian organization successful Israel, pinch astir 18,900 residents, followed by Haifa and Jerusalem, according to Israeli authorities data. Most Arab Christians unrecorded successful Israel’s Northern and Haifa districts, wherever Christian communities person expanded alongside rising acquisition and income levels.

Heather Johnston, laminitis and CEO of nan U.S. Israel Education Association, said nan visible opposition this Christmas reflects deeper realities.

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Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, attends Christmas celebrations successful Bethlehem, successful nan West Bank, connected Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, 2025.  (Ammar Awad/Reuters)

"At Christmas, nan opposition betwixt Nazareth and Bethlehem tells a larger story," Johnston said. "Christians are flourishing successful Nazareth nether Israeli rule, while successful Bethlehem, nether nan Palestinian Authority, nan Christian organization has been shrinking for years. That quality speaks volumes astir which systems really protect belief state and let ancient Christian communities to endure."

This Christmas, lights and hymns filled some cities. For Zarina and others, nan mobility now is whether world attraction will slice erstwhile nan lights travel down, aliases whether it will construe into lasting protection for 1 of Christianity’s oldest communities.