Region | Palestinian Territories
Thousands of Christians gather in Bethlehem amidst tight security
Thousands of Christian pilgrims gathered in Bethlehem's Manger Square on Wednesday to celebrate Christmas under the protection of security forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
- Agencies
- Published: 10:13 December 25, 2008
Bethlehem: Thousands of Christian pilgrims gathered in Bethlehem's Manger Square on Wednesday to celebrate Christmas under the protection of security forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
About 500 security men arrived from the West Bank cities of Ramallah and Jericho to provide security for the holiday.
Outside the Church of the Nativity, the traditional birthplace of Jesus, good-natured crowds of pilgrims and townspeople gathered for the midnight Catholic mass that is the holiday's highlight.
Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal said in an address during the late-night service that true security comes from God.
"War does not produce peace, prisons do not guarantee stability. The highest of walls do not assure security," said Twal, the Catholic Church's top cleric in the Holy Land.
"Peace is a gift of God, and only God can give that peace."
In the Vatican, Pope Benedict XVI also called for peace between Israelis and Palestinians during Midnight Mass.
"Let us think also of the place named Bethlehem, of the land in which Jesus lived, and which he loved so deeply," said Benedict, who is expected to visit the Holy Land in May.
"Let us pray that peace will be established there, that hatred and violence will cease. Let us pray for mutual understanding, that hearts will be opened, so that borders can be opened."
Bethlehem has suffered from the Israeli-Palestinian fighting of recent years, and is now surrounded on three sides by concrete slabs and fences - part of a barrier Israel has built against Palestinian suicide attackers, some of whom came from Bethlehem.
But Christmas time typically boosts tourism in the conflict-ridden region.
"We expect about 40,000 visitors in Bethlehem this week," said Khouloud Daibes-Abu Dayyeh, the Palestinian Authority's minister of tourism.
The estimate includes Christians from the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, Israel and the rest of the world.
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