- Title: WEST BANK: Bethlehem prepares for Christmas celebrations
- Date: 24th December 2013
- Summary: BETHLEHEM WEST BANK (DECEMBER 24, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF DAWN VIEW OVER THE NATIVITY CHURCH VARIOUS OF CHURCH TOWERS AT SUNRISE VARIOUS OF SUNRISE OVER CHURCH (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) NADIN SAHOURI, RESIDENT FROM BETHLEHEM, SAYING: "Today for Christians is very important because it is the day when Jesus was born and it is important for the Christians in Palestine and from all over the world because for all Christians their origin is from here in Bethlehem." VARIOUS OF POLICE OFFICER GIVING INSTRUCTIONS TO POLICEMEN (SOUNDBITE) (English) FATHER CHRISTIAN BALANEAN, FROM ROMANIA, SAYING: "I'm feeling very very good, I'm in Bethlehem for the fifth time. The Christmas in Christianity is very important, it's a very important to celebrate because in this holy place born Jesus Christ, our redemptor." MORE OF SUNRISE OVER THE CHURCH VARIOUS OF MARCHING BAND PLAYING BAGPIPES IN MANGER SQUARE (SOUNDBITE) (English) PALESTINIAN MINISTER OF TOURISM RULA MA'AYAH SAYING: "Of course we're expecting today to receive around 50,000 tourists coming to Bethlehem, these 50,000 tourists are either from tourists from all over the world, from those who accommodated in Bethlehem tonight, and from Palestinians coming to Bethlehem from other cities." VARIOUS OF PALESTINIAN SECURITY FORCES MARCHING BADGE OF PALESTINIAN FLAG ON SECURITY FORCES PERSONNEL PALESTINIAN SECURITY FORCES STANDING TO ATTENTION PEOPLE WALKING TOWARD ENTRANCE OF CHURCH OF NATIVITY PEOPLE ENTERING DOOR OF HUMILITY INTO CHURCH OF NATIVITY
- Embargoed: 8th January 2014 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: West bank
- City:
- Country: Palestinian Territories
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA90NYO1I2UEJ2VQRYQEE444MRX
- Story Text: The town of Bethlehem, revered as Jesus' birth place, made last minute preparations on Tuesday (December 24) for the arrival of thousands of Christian pilgrims for Christmas celebrations.
Hundreds of Palestinian security men were positioned in and around the town, ahead of the planned arrival of the Jerusalem Latin Patriarch, Fuad Twal, to lead midnight mass in the Church of the Nativity.
"Today for Christians is very important because it is the day when Jesus was born and it is important for the Christians in Palestine and from all over the world because for all Christians their origin is from here in Bethlehem," said Bethlehem resident Nadin Sahouri.
In Manger Square, the mood was festive as the sound of a Palestinian marching band playing tartan-covered bagpipes echoed off the large stone walls of the Church of Nativity nearby.
"I'm feeling very very good, I'm in Bethlehem for the fifth time. The Christmas in Christianity is very important, it's a very important to celebrate because in this holy place born Jesus Christ, our redemptor." said Father Christian Balanean, from Romanian.
The tourist industry in Bethlehem has been consistently on the rise in recent years and 2013 is expected to bring even better results.
During the height of the intifada, or Palestinian uprising against Israel, many tourists avoided the town.
Israel's 2002 siege of the Church of the Nativity, where militants took sanctuary during the uprising, deterred many from visiting.
But violence has fallen dramatically in recent years and more than two million people now visit Bethlehem every year.
"Of course we're expecting today to receive around 50,000 tourists coming to Bethlehem, these 50,000 tourists are either from tourists from all over the world, from those who accommodated in Bethlehem tonight, and from Palestinians coming to Bethlehem from other cities," said Palestinian minister of Tourism Rula Ma'ayah.
Palestinian police said that approximately 600 policemen were deployed in the area. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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