BETHLEHEM — With Christmas eve approaching, Palestinians are praying that tourists and pilgrims will make their way in large numbers to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem.

In stark contrast to the years of the second Intifada (uprising), Bethlehem has seen a rise in the number of visitors. But the city has yet to fully reach its potential, given it houses important Christian landmarks such as the Church of Nativity, believed to have been built over the manger where Jesus Christ was born.

Less than ten kilometers [about 6 miles] away from Jerusalem, the West Bank city of Bethlehem is home to 29,000 people, 28% of whom rely on tourism for their income. Turnout to the city has increased every Christmas this past decade in comparison with the Intifada of late 2000-2005. The number of overnight visitors reached approximately 1.5 million so far this year, according to the Palestinian Authority Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, but many factors are still affecting how many people will celebrate the festivities here this year. 

During this time last month, Israeli jets were pounding the Gaza Strip with airstrikes, leading many tourists to cancel trips to the Holy Land. The Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce and Industry says that 20-23% of incoming tourism have been affected by the most recent war in Gaza.