‘Life coming back’ to Bethlehem as Christmas celebrations muted by war return

Crowds of people watched the Christmas tree-lighting event in Manger Square (Mahmoud Illean/AP)

Christmas celebrations are returning to Bethlehem as the shaky ceasefire holds in Gaza.

For the past two Christmases, most businesses in the traditional birthplace of Jesus in the Israeli-occupied West Bank were shuttered and eerily empty.