In most Easter holidays, the cobbled streets of Bethlehem, the busy city of Venerated Bank as the place of birth of Jesus, would be full of tourists.
The pilgrims and tourists once packed memories, providing a vital life line for local artisans. But from the Israel War against Gaza, the usual flow of visitors has dried in October 2023.
Attalah Zacharia, a veteran olive wood carver, now depends largely on exports to Europe and the United States. But only that current of income is now in danger, since the American tariffs announced recently threaten to drown the few remote sales.
Easter and Christmas are traditionally high seasons for Bethlehem, where tourism represents 70 percent of the annual income of the city.
“Belén as a tourist destination has faced a very difficult period that revolves the last two years,” said Anton Salman, mayor of the city.
Without visitors, the artisanal workshops of the city have been silent.
In the Zacharia store, the intricately carved crucifix ranks and nativity figures accumulate dust. The Palestinian carvers feel inactive, surrounded by the products they sold to a global clientele.
“There is no tourism,” said Zacharia, “so there is no job.”
His workshop, a family business established in the West Bank in 1960, has been forced to reduce its workforce from 25 to only 10 employees. Zacharia now opens only two days a week.
He estimates that his business has suffered a 75 percent decrease since the beginning of the war.
The piles of soft and richly grana olive wood traditionally used for the sizes of Bethlehem are stacked outside their store. In a long work bank, Jesus’ miniature figures on the cross are aligned, each one due to the natural marks of the wood.
“Before, or course, the situation was completely normal, the entire crew was working,” said Zacharia. “I don’t know what the future holds.”
Israel resumed his bombing of Gaza last month, breaking the fire that had begun in January.
Without an end in view of conflict, tourism in Israel and the occupied West Bank has collapsed.
By aggravating the crisis, Israel has banned the entrance to most of the 150,000 Palestinians in the West Bank who once worked in Israel, giving a strong blow to the Palestinian economy, which contracted in 25 percent in the last year.
Bassem Giacaman, another experienced carpper whose store gives Manger Square, is done momentarily when a rare customer enters his factory.
The president of the United States, Donald Trump, delayed this week the implementation of new import tariffs for 90 days after they triggered a defeat in the four -day market and generated fears of an imminent global recession. But for business owners like Giacaman, relief sacrifices only temporary relief.
If tariffs apply, he says, the consequences will be serious. Already, two customers have put their orders on hold. With most Palestinian exports routed through Israeli markets, artisans face the risk of a 17 percent tax on their goods.
“I will have to get my prices,” he said. “It will be Damag for all business in the West Bank.”
Giacaman says that one of his artisanal wooden crucifixes also made his way into Trump’s hands. He proudly offered a photograph of the former US president holding the cross in miniature.
While the image sacrifices a moment of pride, it does not reflect a broader political feeling.
He adds that Neith or many other Palestinians support Trump.
