The traditional Christmas tree is missing from Krubban's square and the otherwise grand Christmas lighting shines with its absence.
Around the Church of the Nativity, Palestinian security forces and workers can be seen picking up trash.
The message from Bethlehem is always a message of peace and hope, says the city's mayor Anton Salman.
Even these days, we send our message to the world: peace and hope, but we insist that the world must work to put an end to the suffering of the Palestinian people, he continues.
The cancelled Christmas celebrations mean a hard blow to the city's economy. Tourism accounts for approximately 70 percent of Bethlehem's income. According to Salman, unemployment is around 50 percent, which can be compared to 30 percent in other parts of the West Bank.
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