Sad Christmas in Reoccupied Bethlehem

Home>>World

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, December 25, 2002

Sad Christmas in Reoccupied Bethlehem

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

The Palestinians did not put this yearas they used to a Christmas tree with lots of lights in the yard of the Church of Nativity in the West Bank city of Bethlehem to express sadness after the Israeli army decided to keep its presencein the city.

Residents of the town as well as officials, foreign visitors andpilgrims said that the atmosphere this year is sad, where happinessand celebration they used to do every year were absent.

Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Michel Sabah headed the traditionalChristmas procession on Tuesday afternoon in Bethlehem, which was attended by only 3,000 people.

Compared with last year when the city was not under occupation, a Christmas procession in the city was attended by 15,000 people.

Earlier Tuesday, the Israeli army pulled its tanks and troops from the yard of the church, but kept several troops patrolling either on foot or riding into jeeps into the streets that lead to the yard of the church.

The Palestinian noted that the Israeli army had announced that those who attend Christians, including foreign tourists and pilgrims, should be holding security permits.

Although the move was made to allow Christmas celebrations to proceed in the city of Jesus's birth, the yard that used to be fullof thousands of people looked totally empty with few cars of prayers parking while it was raining heavily.

The narrow streets and allies of the old city looked empty of men, women and children, while most of stores that used to sell presents and candies as well as Christmas clothes and costumes wereclosing.

Despite the presence of the Israeli army, hundreds of residents decided to reach the church to attend the midnight mass. However, the celebratory phenomena were absent, while streets were not ornamented.

Several kids were seen wearing Christmas clothes they had from last year and gathered at the yard of the Nativity Church waving Palestinian flags and holding pictures of Palestinian leader YasserArafat.

Israel had prevented Arafat from reaching Bethlehem to attend the Christmas mass and kept him under siege at his Muqataa, or headquarters in the town of Ramallah.

"Is it fair that the whole world celebrates Christmas in freedomwhile our people in Palestine and Bethlehem are banned from celebrating Christmas festivities?" Arafat told a meeting with Palestinian Christian leaders.

Mohamed Al Madani, governor of Bethlehem, told Xinhua that the situation in the town "is sad and brings a feeling of grief and depression after Israel refused to pull its troops and tanks out ofthe town."

"Due to the sad and hard current situation in all the Palestinian territories, religious leaders and officials decided tocancel all the usual Christmas rituals, and just go for religious traditions," said Al Madani.

Members of an Israeli-Arab peace movement called Ta'ayosh, managed to defy the siege imposed on the city and gathered at the Church of Nativity yard and joint Palestinian children in the limited celebrations.

They carried placards writting "end occupation", "we don't want occupation" and "sponsors of peace where is your peace."

Israel re-occupied every major Palestinian city and town in the West Bank, except for Jericho, in June following a wave of Palestinian suicide bombings which killed scores of Israelis.

Peace talks between the Palestinians and Israel have been derailed due to mounting violence between them.

More than 2,780 people, including Palestinians and 680 Israelis,have been killed since the outbreak of violence in late September, 2000.

Several hundreds of Palestinians gathered and stood to the streets sides watching the convoy of the Patriarch Sabah while entering the city and reaching the church of Nativity waiting for the midnight Christmas mass.

Questions?Comments? Click here

Israel Keeps Ban on Arafat for Christmas Mass in Bethlehem

France: Arafat Has Right to Join Xmas Celebrations in Bethlehem

Zhu, Schroeder to be on Maiden Trip of China's First Maglev Train ( 2 Messages)

Chinese-made Electric Locomotive Hits Record Speed ( 2 Messages)

Analysis: The Rise of China -- a Threat or an Opportunity? ( 7 Messages)

US-Japan Missile Defense Cooperation Worries China ( 28 Messages)

Japan Wants Rearmament ( 6 Messages)