![Johnny Hilal, a Bethlehem-area artisan creates crosses and other Christian items out of mother-of-pearl. With no pilgrims coming to Bethlehem, he must rely on sales to customers abroad. He is one of 35 members of the Holy Land Handicraft Cooperative, which assists local artisans. Since the Oct. 7 Hamas massacre, Adi Bannourah has been forced to close one of his two olivewood factory workshops in the Bethlehem area due to lack of business. He is planning to close the other in the coming days. Johnny Hilal, a Bethlehem-area artisan creates crosses and other Christian items out of mother-of-pearl. With no pilgrims coming to Bethlehem, he must rely on sales to customers abroad. He is one of 35 members of the Holy Land Handicraft Cooperative, which assists local artisans. Since the Oct. 7 Hamas massacre, Adi Bannourah has been forced to close one of his two olivewood factory workshops in the Bethlehem area due to lack of business. He is planning to close the other in the coming days.](https://publisher-ncreg.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pb-ncregister/swp/hv9hms/media/20240716130740_b69f092d0e6cbacd00bcfb59fafc6c2359572c15975c80f18ab63733044f8c4d.png)
‘We Cannot Do This Alone’: Christian Artists in the Holy Land Rely on Internet Sales to Survive Amid War
Since Oct. 7, tourist visits have dwindled, forcing shop owners to find creative ways to continue business.
Since Oct. 7, tourist visits have dwindled, forcing shop owners to find creative ways to continue business.
Images circulated on social media on Sunday and Monday showing the destruction wrought at the facility.
This is not the first time the Israeli embassy to the Holy See, led by outgoing ambassador Raphael Schutz, has criticized Catholic leaders’ statements on the war.
Khalil Sayegh, a Christian from Gaza whose family has been hard hit by the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, talks about the tragedy facing his people and the reasons that have led Christians to flee the region in recent decades.
Cardinal Pizzaballa said, ‘The traumatic impact of the war on the population is enormous.’
In a series of posts on X on Tuesday, García-Sillar expressed solidarity with Palestinians while also appearing to conflate the Jewish people with the state of Israel.
The bishop completed the walk in six hours and 45 minutes.
In an exclusive interview with ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, Al-Sayegh’s brother, Fady Al-Sayegh, who has resided in Egypt since earlier this year, shared his pain at receiving the devastating news about his sister.
EDITORIAL: There are many noble causes worth sacrificing one’s studies, reputation and future for. Hamas is not one of them.
According to United Nations spokesman Stéphane Dujarric, “at least 196 humanitarian workers have been killed since October” in Gaza, which he said “is one of the world’s most dangerous and difficult places to work as a humanitarian.”
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