黑料社

BETHLEHEM, Palestinian Territories 鈥� Thousands of Palestinians and tourists streamed into the West Bank city of Bethlehem on Monday to mark Christmas in the 鈥渓ittle town鈥� where many believe Jesus Christ was born.

This year鈥檚 celebration carries special significance for many Palestinians, coming after 12 months in which their status on the world stage has been significantly upgraded.

Just last month, the United Nations granted them the status of non-member observer state, and earlier this year they won their first UNESCO World Heritage Site designation 鈥� for Bethlehem鈥檚 Church of the Nativity.

The designation also included part of a pilgrimage route in Bethlehem, along which the traditional Christmas procession headed by the Latin Patriarch Fuad Twal marched on Monday.

Under nearly cloudless blue skies and a surprisingly warm December sun, thousands of tourists and Palestinians鈥� Muslims and Christians alike 鈥� lined the route to welcome the procession.

Dozens of scout troupes of boys and girls from across the West Bank drumming and playing the bagpipes marched into Manger Square, where an enormous Christmas tree decorated with hundreds of red baubles stood behind a Nativity scene.

As night fell, the tree was illuminated, a giant star shining from its top over Manger Square in front of the church built over the site where Christians believe Mary gave birth to Jesus in a stable.

Earlier, Taghreed Rishmawi, 20, a biology student from Bethlehem, said she felt Christmas was 鈥減articularly special this year because it comes after the UN gave us the state status鈥�.

鈥淭hat decision gave us hope, and we feel that the world sees us as a state now.鈥�

At midnight, Twal, the most senior Roman Catholic bishop in the Middle East, will deliver the traditional mass to the faithful, with officials including Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, prime minister Salam Fayyad and Jordan鈥檚 Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh expected to be in attendance.

Twal was expected to call for renewed efforts to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and urge the faithful to pray for those affected by ongoing violence in the region, particularly in Syria.

Last week, in a pre-Christmas press conference, Twal praised the UN decision to upgrade Palestinian status, calling it a 鈥渟tep towards peace and stability in the region鈥�.

鈥淚srael can now negotiate on equal state-to-state terms for the good of all,鈥� he told reporters.

In the weeks leading up to Christmas, the Palestinians have seen Israel move forward with settlement activity, including around Bethlehem.

The Palestinians say the new settlement activity is intended to punish them for the UN upgrade, which was fiercely opposed by Israel and the United States.

But Xavier Abu Eid, an adviser to the Palestine Liberation Organisation, said this year鈥檚 celebration of Christmas would still be particularly meaningful for Palestinians.

鈥淎t Christmas, we celebrate the birth of the prince of hope and the prince of peace, and the Palestinian people have been hoping for 64 years to achieve a just peace,鈥� since the creation of the state of Israel, he told AFP.

鈥淎fter the UN vote we feel a step closer to this just peace we鈥檝e been searching for.鈥�

Dotted among Palestinians in Manger Square were hundreds of foreign tourists.

鈥淭he expectations were between 10-15,000 foreign tourists coming into the city,鈥� Samir Hazbun, chairman of Bethlehem鈥檚 Chamber of Commerce, told AFP.

Many visitors won鈥檛 spend the night in Bethlehem, but Hazbun said most of the city鈥檚 3,700 hotel rooms were booked up both international visitors and Palestinians from inside Israel or elsewhere in the West Bank.

Canadian tourist Joan Cross, 58, was beaming as she photographed the procession entering Manger Square.

鈥淚t鈥檚 just magical,鈥� she told AFP. 鈥淚鈥檝e waited 20 years to come as a Christian pilgrim.

鈥淢y mum and I always wanted to come together, but she passed away aged 97 last year, unfortunately, so this trip is really for both of us.鈥�