WEST BANK: LATIN PATRIACH MICHEL SABBAH ARRIVES AT BETHLEHEM FOR CHRISTMAS EVE MASS

Record ID: 566264

  • Title: WEST BANK: LATIN PATRIACH MICHEL SABBAH ARRIVES AT BETHLEHEM FOR CHRISTMAS EVE MASS
  • Date: 24th December 2004
  • Summary: (W5) GILO CHECK POINT, WEST BANK (DECEMBER 24, 2004) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. VARIOUS OF LATIN PATRIARCH MICHEL SABBAH'S CONVOY ARRIVING AT ISRAELI ARMY CHECK POINT/ WITH POLICE ON HORSEBACK 0.22 2. SLV PATRIACH IN CAR 0.32 3. WIDE OF SABBAH GETTING OUT OF CAR 0.38 4. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE KISSING SABBAH'S HAND 0.54 5. SCU (SOUNDBITE)(Arabic) LATIN PATRIARCH MICHEL SABBAH SAYING "We say in this difficult circumstances of suffering and growing walls and the continuations of occupation and injustice that we are in a need of a celebration in order to renew our strength, courage, and patience, to regain freedom, and to put an end to injustice in this country." 1.18 6. SLV OF CAR LEAVING CHECK POINT 1.21 (W5) BETHLEHEM, WEST BANK (DECEMBER 24, 2004) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 7. WIDE OF PEOPLE STANDING ON WALL WATCHING ARRIVAL 1.25 8. VARIOUS OF SABBAH CAR CONVOY ARRIVING IN CITY CENTRE 1.31 9. SLV POLICE/ SECURITY ON HORSEBACK 1.36 10. PULLOUT OF BELLS RINGING IN CHURCH TOWER 1.45 11. SLV MEN DRESSED IN SANTA CLAUS COSTUME RINGING HANDBELLS 1.52 12. VARIOUS OF RELIGOUS PROCESSION THROUGH MANGER SQUARE 2.14 13. WIDE OF RELIGIOUS PROCESSION IN SQUARE 2.19 14. WIDE OF CROWD 2.24 15. VARIOUS OF CROWD WITH FLAGS 2.35 16. VARIOUS OF SABBAH MAKING HIS WAY THROUGH SQUARE AND PEOPLE TO CHURCH OF NATIVITY ON THE AFTERNOON OF CHRISTMAS EVE 3.00 17. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE SINGING 3.15 18. WIDE OF SABBAH STANDING WITH PRIEST SPRINKLING INCENSE 3.24 19. VARIOUS OF SABBAH ENTERING CHURCH 2.30 20. SLV SABBAH IN CHURCH 3.35 21. SLV PROCESSION WITH SABBAH (AUDIO OF BELLS RINGING) 3.42 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 8th January 2005 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: GILO CHECKPOINT AND BETHLEHEM, WEST BANK
  • City:
  • Country: Palestinian Territories
  • Reuters ID: LVAT1TRE4UH5GVUMVEJTUZOZ39J
  • Story Text: Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah arrives in Bethlehem
    on Christmas Eve.



    Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah arrived in the West
    Bank city of Bethlehem on Friday (December 24) to conduct
    Christmas Eve mass at the Church of the Nativity.

    On Tuesday (December 21) Sabbah delivered his annual
    Christmas message in Jerusalem's Old City and said Israel's
    West Bank barrier had turned the holy city of Bethlehem
    into a "giant prison".

    The separation barrier, which Israel says is vital to
    preventing Palestinian attacks on its soil, slices into
    parts of the West Bank including Bethlehem.

    Palestinians say the barrier is an attempt to seize
    more land in the occupied territories.

    Bethlehem, where Christians believe Jesus was born, was
    consumed by violence when the Palestinian revolt began in
    Israeli-occupied territories four years ago.

    Militants battled Israeli forces in the streets. A
    curfew reigned and residents played desperate cat-and-mouse
    games with roaming tanks and troops to make it to church
    services or stock up at the rare shop that remained open.

    But Christmas 2004 is a different story. After years in
    which Christian pilgrims looked elsewhere for peace on
    earth, they are starting to breathe new life into the
    industry that was once Bethlehem's economic mainstay.

    Now Palestinians dare to hope again for peace after
    Yasser Arafat's death, with prospects blooming for talks on
    a Palestinian state between his moderate successors and
    Israel.

    After almost a year without bloodshed, the biblical
    West Bank town has a more relaxed air.

    Christmas spirit and bustle are at a level unknown
    since the last year of relative peace in 1999.

    mc/jg

  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register