Summary
BETHLEHEM, West Bank - The traditional birthplace of Jesus Christ is celebrating its merriest Christmas in years, as tens of thousands of tourists thronged into Bethlehem on Friday for the annual holiday festivities in this biblical West Bank town.
Officials said the turnout was shaping up to be the largest since 2000. Unseasonably mild weather, a virtual halt in Israeli- Palestinian violence and a burgeoning economic revival in the West Bank all added to the holiday cheer.See the full content of this document
Extract
Pilgrims, Clergy Head to Bethlehem for Christmas
By nightfall, a packed Manger Square was awash in red, blue, green and yellow Christmas lights.
Merrymakers blasted horns, bands sang traditional Christmas carols in Arabic, boy scout marching bands performed and Palestinian policemen deployed around the tow...See the full content of this document
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