Bethlehem: As the global spotlight remains fixed on the war in Gaza, the people of Bethlehem in the West Bank are quietly enduring a worsening humanitarian and economic crisis. According to Joseph Hazboun, regional director of the CNEWA-Pontifical Mission in Jerusalem, the historic Christian city is reeling under growing joblessness, economic collapse, and ongoing land appropriation.

Unemployment in Bethlehem has surged to 31%, driven largely by the collapse of its vital tourism industry, now bleeding an estimated $2.5 million a day. Once buzzing with pilgrims and tourists, the streets of Bethlehem now echo with the shuttering of shops, restaurants, and cultural centers. Religious festivities like Christmas and Easter, cornerstones of local identity and economy, have been canceled amidst the ongoing war, accelerating the emigration of families from the region—especially Christians, further altering Bethlehem’s historic demographic.

“This economic breakdown is wiping out the local heritage,” Mr. Hazboun warned in CNEWA’s June update. He painted a grim picture of daily life: “With little income and growing despair, more and more families are being pushed to the brink.”

He shared one family’s struggle: a man identified as “M” had worked in Israel until his permit was revoked in October 2023. “He became helpless, unable to support his wife and baby daughter,” said Hazboun. Though briefly employed again through CNEWA contacts, his permit was not renewed. “Now, he’s back to joblessness—just one of countless innocent people crushed under the weight of a war they did not choose.”

The report focuses on the Bethlehem Governorate, which includes surrounding villages and refugee camps. Around 85% of this territory is classified as Area C, under full Israeli control. The region is riddled with 76 mobility barriers, such as checkpoints, earth mounds, and roadblocks that isolate residents from jobs, schools, and hospitals.

Adding to the turmoil, the Israeli Cabinet in May initiated the final registration of land ownership in Area C—a move Mr. Hazboun says violates international law and threatens to dispossess Palestinians unable to provide ownership documentation. “This step risks deepening discriminatory land policies,” he said, pointing to recent land seizures, including those declared as ‘buffer zones’ around settlements.

Despite the adversity, CNEWA-Pontifical Mission and its local partners continue to offer lifelines: short-term employment programs, health care grants—particularly for women and children—support for struggling institutions, and student scholarships at Dar Al-Kalima and Bethlehem universities.

Among the urgent needs is support for the Holy Land Handicraft Cooperative Society, which relies on olive wood to produce handmade crafts for global fair trade markets. “If these artisans cannot work, they cannot survive,” Hazboun explained.

Bethlehem, once a symbol of peace and hope, now stands at a crossroads—its people trapped in economic hardship, land insecurity, and fading opportunities. And yet, through grassroots resilience and international solidarity, the struggle to preserve its identity and dignity presses on.