Coronavirus dampens Christmas joy in biblical Bethlehem

Palestinian scout band members parade through Manger Square at the Church of the Nativity (Majdi Mohammed/AP)

The biblical town of Bethlehem is gearing up for a second Christmas Eve hit by coronavirus, with small crowds and grey, gloomy weather dampening celebrations on Friday in the traditional birthplace of Jesus.

A ban on nearly all incoming air traffic by Israel, the main entry point for foreign visitors heading to the occupied West Bank, kept international tourists away for a second consecutive year.