The Palestinian Authority formed a committee of local Christian leaders to oversee the renovation and contracted an Italian company to carry out the project. Bethlehem is heavily dependent on Christmas tourism, with hotels, restaurants and gift stores doing much of their business during the short holiday season. The municipality recently hosted representatives of 14 twin cities from around the world for a Christmas tree lighting ceremony. Fifteen European countries participated in a Christmas market in the front yard of the church. Roughly half of Palestinian Christians live in the Bethlehem area, where their share of the population has also declined significantly.

Source: Egypt Independent December 10, 2018 07:18 UTC