- Title: Israel bars Gaza's Christians from visiting Bethlehem and Jerusalem at Christmas
- Date: 13th December 2019
- Summary: GAZA CITY, GAZA (DECEMBER 13, 2019) (REUTERS) CHRISTMAS TREE OUTSIDE THE LATIN HOLY LAND CHURCH CHRISTMAS DECORATION VARIOUS OF GAZAN CHRISTIAN, RANDA AL-AMSH, AROUND TREE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) GAZAN CHRISTIAN, RANDA AL-AMSH, SAYING: "I hope I will get a permit to see my family, see my daughter there and celebrate Christmas with them and also New Year. I want to see the celebrations there (Bethlehem) in the streets, also Santa Clause tours the streets. So we will be happy with relatives and family. I hope I will get permit to see my family." CHURCH EXTERIOR VARIOUS OF MAN AND WOMAN STANDING NEAR CHRISTMAS TREE SIGN READING (Arabic) "THE LATIN PATRIARCHATE OF JERUSALEM-HOLY FAMILY CHURCH" GATE OF CHURCH LATIN PATRIARCH OF JERUSALEM PIERBATTISTA PIZZABALLA (WEARING WITH THE PINK HAT) TALKING TO PEOPLE VARIOUS OF LATIN PATRIARCH WITH PRIESTS, CLERGYMEN AND CHRISTIANS STANDING OUTSIDE CHURCH
- Embargoed: 27th December 2019 13:55
- Keywords: Christian Christmas Gaza Israel Jerusalem restrictions
- Location: GAZA CITY, GAZA
- City: GAZA CITY, GAZA
- Country: Palestinian Territories
- Topics: Religion/Belief,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA001B9T71HJ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Christians in Gaza voiced hope on Friday (December 13) that Israel would reverse its policy so they could visit their family in the West Bank.
Israeli authorities will not allow Christian Gazans to visit holy cities such as Bethlehem and Jerusalem to celebrate Christmas this year.
Gazan Christians will be granted permits to travel abroad but none will be allowed to go to Israel and the occupied West Bank, home to many sites holy to Christians, a spokeswoman for Israel's military liaison to the Palestinians said.
Israel tightly restricts movements out of the Gaza Strip, territory controlled by Hamas, an Islamist group that it considers a terrorist organisation.
The spokeswoman said that following "security orders", Gazans would be allowed to travel abroad via Israel's Allenby Bridge border crossing with Jordan but not to visit cities in Israel or the West Bank.
Gaza has only around 1,000 Christians - most of them Greek Orthodox - among a population of 2 million in the narrow coastal strip.
This year's decision is a break with usual policy. Last year, Israel granted permits for close to 700 Gazan Christians to travel to Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth and other holy cities that draw thousands of pilgrims each holiday season.
(Production: Arafat Barbakh, Nehad Khalil, Roleen Tafakji) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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