Red Alert: Was Christmas Celebrated in Bethlehem This Year?

Israel has been at war for two years. Could joy return to the birthplace of Jesus?

British journalist Paul Calvert, who has lived in Bethlehem for over two decades, joins us to start the 2026 Red Alert Report season to share a firsthand account of Christmas in the sacred city of Bethlehem—where faith, history, and conflict converge.

Paul brings encouraging news to start 2026: after two years of war in Gaza and strained relations among Christians, Muslims, and Jews, Bethlehem is once again celebrating the birth of Jesus. The streets that had fallen silent are now echoing with carols, processions, and the voices of pilgrims returning to honor the nativity.

Though the region is still scarred by conflict and age-old tensions, signs of healing are emerging. International visitors are once again walking the ancient paths of Judea. The nativity season, which stretches into January through Orthodox and Armenian Christian traditions, is being observed with renewed reverence and cautious joy.

Tune in to hear how light is breaking through the darkness in Bethlehem—and why the celebration of Jesus’ birth matters more than ever.