WEST BANK: BETHLEHEM PUTS THE FINISHING TOUCHES TO ITS CHRISTMAS PREPARATIONS WHILE DOZENS OF CHRISTIAN FOREIGN LABOURERS WILL SPEND THE FESTIVE SEASON BEHIND BARS

Record ID: 565803

  • Title: WEST BANK: BETHLEHEM PUTS THE FINISHING TOUCHES TO ITS CHRISTMAS PREPARATIONS WHILE DOZENS OF CHRISTIAN FOREIGN LABOURERS WILL SPEND THE FESTIVE SEASON BEHIND BARS
  • Date: 23rd December 1999
  • Summary: BETHLEHEM, WEST BANK (DECEMBER 23, 1999) (REUTERS) 1. SLV'S: BETHLEHEM'S MUNICIPAL WORKERS SPRAYING WATER TO CLEAN PAVEMENTS AND MAIN SQUARE (2 SHOTS) 0.12 2. CU: KID WEARING FATHER CHRISTMAS COSTUME 0.16 3. SLV: WORKER SWEEPING STREET 0.20 4. VARIOUS: WORKERS LAYING KERBSTONES (2 SHOTS) 0.34 3. MLV: TOURISTS IN MANGER SQUARE 0.41 4. SLV: CHOIR IN MANGER SQUARE, PRACTICING 0.47 5. SLV/SV: VARIOUS OF CHRISTMAS TREE (2 SHOTS) 0.57 6. VARIOUS OF MUNICIPAL WORKERS DECORATING ROAD LEADING TO MANGER SQUARE (3 SHOTS) 1.20 7. LV/CU: LIGHTING SHOWING THE COUNTDOWN UNTIL THE END OF THIS MILLENNIUM (2 SHOTS) 1.29 8. SV: PALESTINIAN POLICEMEN IN SQUARE 1.33 9. MV/SV/CU/SLV: VARIOUS TOURISTS IN SHOPS/VARIOUS SOUVENIRS (4 SHOTS) 1.55 10. SV: STATUE FATHER CHRISTMAS 1.58 MAASYAHU PRISON, NEAR TEL AVIV, ISRAEL (RECENT) (REUTERS) 11. LAS: BARBED WIRE 2.05 12. SCU: FOREIGN WORKERS LOOKING OUT FROM CELL 2.09 13. SLV/SV: FOREIGN WORKERS INSIDE PRISON COURTYARD (2 SHOTS) 2.27 14. SV: JAILED MARTIN BOADI IN PRISON CELL (2 SHOTS) 2.32 15. SV: (SOUNDBITE) (English) MARTIN BOADI SAYING "They will not allow us to celebrate. It's very important for us. We must celebrate Merry Christmas." 2.46 16. LAS: PRISON GUARD LOCKING WORKER IN CELL 2.54 17. SV: PEOPLE WATCHING 2.59 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 7th January 2000 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BETHLEHEM, WEST BANK/MAASYAHU JAIL, NEAR TEL AVIV, ISRAEL
  • City:
  • Country: Palestinian Territories
  • Reuters ID: LVACVBIT0KHEABS3TBMXBS3S50ZD
  • Story Text: As Bethlehem puts the finishing touches to its
    Christmas preparations, dozens of Christian foreign labourers
    in Israel will spend Jesus's birthday behind bars.

    In the Holy Land, preparations are in full swing for
    celebrations marking Jesus's birth.

    Palestinians see the millennium year as an opportunity to
    showcase the West Bank town of Bethlehem, whose usual
    population of 50,000 will rise to more than three million over
    the holiday period.

    About US$ 200 million has been invested in a facelift
    including new roads, improved sewers, new hotel rooms and
    visitor facilities.

    But in Israel, hundreds of foreign workers face Christmas
    behind bars for breaking immigration rules.Ghanaian
    bricklayer Martin Boadi's Christmas wish was straightforward:
    to spend the holiday in worship in the Holy Land.Israel will
    see to it that he does, but in a jail cell.

    Boadi and 120 other foreign labourers rounded up in recent
    weeks will mark a Christmas trimmed in razor wire in Maasyahu
    prison near Tel Aviv.

    They await deportation home, most for having expired work
    permits while others have no permits at all.

    Some of Boadi's most cherished memories of his 11 years in
    Israel are of workers' observances of a Holy Land Christmas.

    "This is very important for us.We must celebrate a merry
    Christmas but in prison, how can you celebrate", Boadi said.

    Maasyahu prison is part of a prison complex built to house
    Israelis found guilty of the most heinous of crimes.Now it
    also holds Asians, Africans and Eastern Europeans whose sole
    offence is staying on the job too long.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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