Christmas call for peace from the Middle East

Church leaders in Bethlehem have called for peace and reconciliation at the annual Christmas mass held at what is said to be the birthplace of Jesus.

Tens of thousands of Christian pilgrims are in Bethlehem for Christmas, in a record year for tourism.

Only a lucky few scored tickets for the traditional midnight mass near the spot where Jesus was said to be born.

Church leaders used the mass to renew calls for peace. Latin patriarch Fuad Twal appealed for the church bells to drown out the noise of weapons in the Middle East, and expressed a hope that Jerusalem would become a model of co-existence between Christians, Jews and Muslims.

But the Christmas Eve cheer was marred by news that three Italian nuns were killed in a car accident in northern Israel earlier in the day, and two others were seriously injured.

The ongoing lull in violence has given a huge boost to Bethlehem’s economy – hotels are booked out and more are already being built to cope with future demand.

Shopkeepers have reported strong sales in traditional souvenirs, including nativity scenes built out of the local olive tree wood.

But residents say the massive concrete wall that separates Bethlehem and the West Bank from Israel is still a major deterrent for tourists trying to reach the town.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/12/25/3101629.htm?WT.mc_id=newsmail