Omicron Keeps Tourists Away from Bethlehem

Christmas 2021 was expected to be a big celebration in the Palestinian town of Bethlehem. In contrast to last year’s lockdown and closure of the Church of the Nativity because of the pandemic, this year tourists and pilgrims were supposed to return and inject badly needed cash into the city. Then the COVID-19 omicron variant hit, dashing hopes and leaving plenty of “room at the inn.” Linda Gradstein and Ricki Rosen report for VOA from Bethlehem.