WEST BANK: YASSER ARAFAT BANNED BY ISRAEL FROM ATTENDING CHRISTMAS MIDNIGHT MASS SERVICE IN BETHLEHEM

Record ID: 400668

  • Title: WEST BANK: YASSER ARAFAT BANNED BY ISRAEL FROM ATTENDING CHRISTMAS MIDNIGHT MASS SERVICE IN BETHLEHEM
  • Date: 24th December 2003
  • Summary: BETHLEHEM, WEST BANK (DECEMBER 24, 2003) (PBC - ACCESS ALL) 1. PAN FROM CONGREGATION TO EMPTY SEAT WHERE PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT YASSER ARAFAT SHOULD HAVE SAT 0.18 2. CLOSE-UP OF SIGN ON CHAIR WITH ARAFAT'S NAME ON 0.35 3. WIDE OF CONGREGATION 0.42 4. WIDE OF LATIN PATRIARCH MICHELE SABBAH AND CLERGY KNEELING ALTAR AND IMAGE OF CHRIS
  • Embargoed: 8th January 2004 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BETHLEHEM, WEST BANK
  • City:
  • Country: Palestinian Territories
  • Reuters ID: LVABYRJ1KVZHM269QGH4M3MA4MQH
  • Story Text: Arafat banned from Midnight mass.




    Roman Catholic Patriarch Michele Sabbah conducted
    Midnight Mass in Bethlehem and called on Palestinians and
    Israel to find way out of intractable conflict.

    Sabbah told the congregation: "For the last three years
    we have lived through a war that resolved in hundreds of
    casualties on the Israeli side, and thousands of casualties
    on the Palestinian side. Houses were destroyed, farms were
    uprooted, and military checkpoints were established at any
    Palestinian village and city, turning them into large
    prisons. Worse than that is that these casualties were all
    for nothing, and nothing has changed in the core of the
    issue. As the Israelis still live in fear and lack of
    security, and the Palestinian people still demand their
    land and their freedom. And so, now, due to the separation,
    they (Israelis) have turned into building the wall. And the
    separation wall will bring no peace and no security."
    An empty seat at the front of the church was left in
    honour of Palestinian president Yasser Arafat, who is
    confined to his compound in Ramallah.

    Israel barred Arafat from Christmas celebrations in
    Bethlehem for a third straight year.

    Arafat had told a Christian delegation in the West Bank
    city of Ramallah that he hoped to take part in the
    Christmas festivities this year in Bethlehem, the
    traditional site of Jesus' birthplace.

    Arafat, a Muslim, regularly attended the Bethlehem
    celebrations before Israel confined him to Ramallah two
    years ago over his failure to prevent suicide attacks.




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