‘No joy in our hearts’: Bethlehem’s Christians face heartbreak at Christmas
Al Jazeera
Unlike other Christmases, Noha Helmi Tarazi’s family won’t be visiting her. Her sister and brother were killed in Gaza.
Bethlehem, occupied West Bank – At Christmas, Noha Helmi Tarazi normally decorates her home with a large tree, which she describes as a symbol of light and joy.
The 87-year-old prepares the house for her family, who gather here each year, and makes Christmas sweets and large, festive meals. She usually places presents under the Christmas tree for her grandchildren, taking care to wrap them and label them with their names.
This year, no one will gather in her home. Even the children do not feel like celebrating, she says.
“There is no joy left in our hearts,” she says.
In the birthplace of Jesus Christ, the celebrations for Christmas are on hold. The decision to cancel Christmas has not been taken lightly, but it is one the church and community here are all united on, to show their solidarity with the Palestinians facing Israeli bombardment and a total siege in the Gaza Strip.
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