Bethlehem, West Bank: The Christian population in Bethlehem revered worldwide as the birthplace of Jesus is shrinking at a pace that Church leaders describe as alarming. According to senior Franciscan priest Fr. Ibrahim Faltas, the combined weight of war-driven insecurity and economic paralysis is forcing families to abandon the city.
“Do we really want to witness a Bethlehem without Christians?” Fr. Faltas asked gravely, warning that the Holy Land’s Christian presence is now at a critical crossroads.
Citing the devastating impact of the Gaza war, he revealed that work in the region has been stagnant for 22 months, with 175 Christian families already having left Bethlehem. Once a vibrant hub for pilgrims, the city has seen its lifeline tourism all but vanish. “Bethlehem and much of the West Bank have become open-air prisons,” he lamented.
Travel restrictions, in place since October 7, 2023, have cut off Palestinians Christians included from jobs in Israel. In Jerusalem, the situation remains equally bleak. With 90 percent of local Christians dependent on tourism, the closure of hotels and shops has deepened the crisis.
Fr. Faltas urged swift and tangible measures to safeguard the Christian community’s future, warning that the birthplace of Jesus risks losing its centuries-old living Christian heritage.