Thousands of Christian pilgrims flock to the West Bank town of Bethlehem, celebrating Christmas Eve.
News headlines today: Dec. 24, 2019BETHLEHEM, West Bank -- Thousands of Christian pilgrims on Tuesday flocked to the West Bank town of Bethlehem, celebratingtree in Manger Square, near the spot believed to mark Jesus' birthplace. Uniformed Palestinian scouts wearing yellow and gold capes paraded past assembled visitors, the sound of drums and bagpipes filling the cool, clear air. Vendors hawked snacks and holiday gifts, adding to the festive atmosphere.
While Bethlehem is in the Palestinian-administered area of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Israel’s imposing separation barrier encloses parts of the city and is a constant reminder of the complex political reality. Most of the Christmas Eve visitors appeared to be local residents, with foreign pilgrims seeming to make up a modest portion of the crowd.
Maayah estimated that some 15,000 pilgrims were staying overnight in Bethlehem's fully booked hotels this Christmas. Tourists were also staying in other West Bank towns, such as Ramallah and Jericho, in addition to Jerusalem. “Our message this year is that Christmas is a message of joy," Maayah said."But of course we are celebrating Christmas while we are still under occupation. We hope that we will celebrate Christmas joyfully next year with the end of occupation so that we could celebrate like all other nations in our independent country without occupation.”
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