The war casts a heavy shadow over Christmas celebrations in the West Bank, especially in Bethlehem, which has become a ghost town due to a severe decline in tourism. In stark contrast, a Christmas market has opened in Damascus, where Syria’s Christian community, consisting of around 300,000 people, hopes for the protection of minority rights amidst ongoing political changes and civil strife. Despite a decade of civil war, they link the birth of Christ with national renewal and a secure future.