Mon Apr 14 10:43:27 UTC 2025: ## Bethlehem Artisans Face Ruin as Gaza War and US Tariffs Cripple Tourism
**BETHLEHEM, West Bank** – The birthplace of Jesus is facing an economic crisis. The ongoing Israeli-Gaza conflict and newly imposed US tariffs are devastating Bethlehem’s tourism-dependent artisan community, leaving workshops silent and skilled craftspeople unemployed.
Easter and Christmas, usually peak seasons, have seen a dramatic drop in tourist arrivals since the October 2023 escalation of the Gaza war. This has severely impacted the town’s economy, where tourism accounts for 70% of annual income. Olive wood carvers, like Attalah Zacharia, whose family business has operated since 1960, have seen their sales plummet by 75%. Forced to lay off 15 employees, Zacharia now operates only two days a week.
The situation is further exacerbated by newly announced US tariffs, threatening to cripple exports – a crucial lifeline for many artisans. While President Trump recently delayed the implementation of these tariffs for 90 days, the reprieve offers only temporary relief. Bassem Giacaman, another woodcarver, reports that clients are already halting orders due to the impending 17% tax on goods passing through Israeli markets. He fears this will force price increases, damaging businesses across the West Bank.
The conflict’s impact extends beyond tourism. Israel’s barring of West Bank Palestinians from working in Israel has dealt a heavy blow to the Palestinian economy, which contracted by 25% last year. The combined effects of the war and tariffs paint a bleak picture for Bethlehem’s artisans, leaving many uncertain about their future and the fate of their centuries-old crafts.
First Piper 