The giant Christmas tree that had been absent during the war returned on Wednesday to the city that, according to Christian tradition, is the birthplace of Jesus.
"Today is a day of joy, a day of hope, the beginning of the return of normal life here," said Bethlehem resident Georgette Jackaman, one of thousands who celebrated Christmas Eve in Bethlehem.
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the top Catholic leader in the Holy Land, opened this year's celebrations during the traditional procession from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, calling for "a Christmas full of light."
Despite a ceasefire in Gaza that began in October, tensions remain high in large parts of the West Bank. Israeli military raids and attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinians have reached their highest level since the United Nations began collecting data in 2006. Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 Middle East war, but the Palestinian Authority has limited autonomy in parts of the territory. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is expected to attend the midnight mass for the first time in two years, according to the mayor.
