WORLD> Middle East
Christians celebrate Christmas in Bethlehem
(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-12-25 08:45

Palestinian Christian children wear festive hats as they light candles inside the Church of Nativity, believed by many to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ, during Christmas celebrations in the West Bank town of Bethlehem, Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2008. Tourists from all over the world flocked to Jesus' traditional birthplace on Wednesday to celebrate Christmas Eve. [Agencies]

Much-Needed Revenue

Tourism collapsed here when a Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation began in 2000. But this Christmas, the Palestinian tourism minister says, hotel occupancy is rising.

"The increase in security and easier movement means we have our largest numbers, and we are making great efforts to restore tourist activity," she said in Ramallah.

"The numbers themselves are not as important as the length of stay," she added. The direct contribution of tourism to the Palestinian economy is reckoned at about $480 million a year.

Palestinians say the Israeli barrier is a major obstacle to peace that cripples trade and turns off foreign tourists.

Many visitors see the wall between Jerusalem and Bethlehem as an ugly scar defiling a Christian holy site.

"Going to the checkpoint and the barrier is really crazy. But being here, it is totally worth it," said 20-year-old Emma Serienni who was on her first visit from the United States.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Tuesday said the Jewish state must press on with plans to complete the barrier around key parts of Jerusalem, which could be divided in a future deal to create a Palestinian state.