Thousands of pilgrims meet Bethlehem

Thousands of Christian pilgrims gathered in Manger Field in Bethlehem, Wednesday (24/12), to celebrate Christmas under the protection of security forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Around 500 members of security comes from the city of Ramallah and Jericho in the West edges to provide security on the highway. Recruitment was done the same in all the edges in the West last year with U.S. support.

"We estimate around 40,000 visitors in Bethlehem this weekend," said Khouloud Daibes Abu-Dayyeh, Minister of Tourism Government of Palestinian autonomy.

Estimates include the edges of the Christian West, Gaza Strip, Israel, and other places in the world. Around 900 people from Gaza has to ask permission to go to Israel where Christians believe Jesus was born. However, only 300 people who get it.

"It is better to spend Christmas in Bethlehem, as we near the church. It is important to visit the place where Jesus was born," said Italian tourists aged 58 years, Messimo Silzetri, under a tree and a giant Christmas decorations in Manger Field.

When the Gaza crisis to the brink of ending following a six-month cease-fire between Israel and the Islamic movement Hamas that the path is, the decline in violence in the West have been interesting edges back tourists who no longer fears the weapons showdown in the streets.

Israel is the region with some of the wall built around the edges and in the West didudukinya. Special to Bethlehem, the wall is built-shaped concrete wall frightening as 4 meters with several control towers.

Earnings needed

Tourism in Bethlehem terpuruk the Palestinian resistance against Israeli occupation began in 2000. But on Christmas, said Palestinian Minister of Tourism, the level increased residential hotel.

"Improvement in the security and movement that we make it easier to get the number of (income) our biggest, and we will make great efforts to restore tourism activities," he said in Ramallah. "The number of their own sepenting not ever lived," he added.

Direct contribution of tourism to the Palestinian economy is estimated around 480 million dollars a year.

Palestinians say the wall Israel is a big hurdle for peace mencengkeram trade flows and foreign tourists. Many visitors to see the wall between Jerusalem and Bethlehem as a bad impression that pollute a Christian holy place.

"Go to the checkpoint and the wall was really mad. But there, I really menghargainya," said Emma Srienni aged 20 years. This is the first visit of the U.S..

ONO
Source: Ant