Christians in Bethlehem mark Christmas amid violence

Bethlehem Mayor Vera Baboun said earlier this week that only 40 per cent of hotel rooms were booked in the Biblical town this year, amid the recent wave of violence in Israel and the Palestinian areas. His message of love and peace… that’s why we came to say no to the occupation, no to the settlements, no to the politics of occupation, no to the ones who are besieging Bethlehem city from the settlements and the wall.

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.

The city has been a focal point for clashes between Israeli troops and Palestinian protesters during the three month-long wave of violence and while the annual festivities in the city’s Manger Square were set to go on, other celebrations in the city were cancelled or toned down because of the violence.

The town of Bethlehem, revered as Jesus’ birth place, made last minute preparations on Christmas Eve for the arrival of thousands of Christian pilgrims for Christmas celebrations.

Three Palestinians were shot dead on Thursday in the West Bank while carrying out stabbing or car-ramming attacks, according to Israeli authorities. Two other Palestinians were killed in two other incidents, including an attack by a motorist on Israeli troops, with one soldier lightly wounded.

Israeli forces dispersed the Palestinians by pushing and harassing them, and then by shooting deadly tear gas canisters at them.

146-r-16-(Sound of singing, during festivities Christmas Eve in Manger Square in Bethlehem)-Sound of singing during festivities Christmas Eve in Manger Square in Bethlehem. Israel accuses Palestinian leaders of inciting the violence.

“I feel safe in Bethlehem”, she said.

This Christmas, restorers from Italy have prepared a special unveiling right in Bethlehem’s ancient Church of the Nativity.

She said 12 of her relatives lost their homes when IS took over Iraq’s second city Mosul in 2014 and ordered Christians to convert to Islam, pay a heavy tax as second-class citizens or face death.

In the troubled southern Philippines, seven Christian farmers were killed on Thursday as Muslim guerrillas launched a series of attacks, the military said.