Bethlehem carvers fret over second Easter without tourists | Israel-Palestine conflict News

On most Easter holidays, the cobbled streets of Bethlehem — the occupied West Bank town revered as the birthplace of Jesus — would be bustling with tourists.

Pilgrims and sightseers once packed the souvenir shops, providing a vital lifeline for local artisans. But since Israel’s war on Gaza erupted in October 2023, the usual flow of visitors has dried up.

Attalah Zacharia, a veteran olive wood carver, now relies heavily on exports to Europe and the United States. But even that stream…