Christians in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus Christ, are preparing for Christmas celebrations.
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Before the celebrations began, Israeli authorities said three Palestinians involved in attacks against Israelis were killed in violence across the West Bank.
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They listened to holiday music played by marching bands and scout troops. On Wednesday, two Palestinian attackers were shot dead after they stabbed and killed an Israeli man. Another Israeli man died after he was apparently shot by Israeli police trying to subdue the attackers.
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Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Fouad Twal leads a Christmas midnight mass at the Church of the Nativity in the West Bank town of Bethlehem December 25, 2015.
Its spokesmen claimed to be guarding Christian shrines and pilgrims against Islamic State efforts to mar the festival.
“As long as the city of peace is walled, peace itself is walled”, said Vera Baboun, the Christian mayor of Bethlehem.
The region is seeing the worst outbreak of violence in a decade, since the end of the second Palestinian intifada, or uprising.
Pope Francis was expected to appeal for reconciliation of fractured communities in his Christmas Day blessing on Friday, as the world takes stock of a year of violence and suffering that saw hundreds of thousands flee their homes.
The largest event in the city’s Manger Square attracted several thousand people Thursday evening, a smaller crowd than usual.
“Unlike usual, few people celebrated Christmas in Bethlehem [this year] because of the current situation”.
“We need to celebrate because celebration is a kind of steadfastness”. What the world might overlook as it watches is that the very city where Jesus was born celebrates yet another occupied Christmas. The ministry invests significantly throughout the year in the conservation and upgrading of Christian sites in order to ensure that every Christian can visit the sites that are sacred for him.
According to Faltas of the Custody of the Holy Land, 500 Palestinian Christians from Gaza have obtained entry permits to attend Bethlehem Christmas celebrations and 500 others from the West Bank would be allowed to visit Gaza.
In his homily, Twal expressed sympathy for the plight of Palestinians, Syrian refugees and “victims of all forms of terrorism everywhere”, according to a transcript issued by his office.
“We pray to change the face of the world, that our world be a safe dwelling place and refuge, where justice prevails over rivalry and conflict, mercy over vengeance, charity over hatred”, he said.
The Quinn family, from Milwaukee, Wis., gathers in Manger Square, Bethlehem on Christmas Eve, 2015.
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He said that everyone should allow the simplicity of the child Jesus, born into poverty in a manger despite his divinity, to infuse their spirit and inspire their lives.
