In Bethlehem a new thaw in Israeli-Palestinian relations drew several thousand more pilgrims than last year as Israeli troops eased passage through checkpoints into the West Bank city.
After four years of Israeli-Palestinian violence, Israel took special steps this year to insure a merry Christmas in Bethlehem, allowing free travel into the traditional birthplace of Jesus Christ for the two-day Christmas holiday.
Troops allowed pilgrims to pass freely through the roadblocks and handed out candy, while an Israeli Tourism Ministry sign decorated with bells and a red ribbon read "Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year" at the heavily fortified main crossing from Jerusalem into Bethlehem.
According to the Associated Press, the Israeli army said 5,000 people descended on Bethlehem for Christmas. While the crowds were larger than in recent years, the numbers were far smaller than during the boom period of the 1990s, when tens of thousands of people would flood into the West Bank town for Christmas.
But despite the contrast, "a sense of hope was felt by many," AP reported.
Since the death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat on Nov. 11, there has been a marked warming of ties between Israel and the new Palestinian leadership.
In a sign of the growing cooperation, interim Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas was allowed to join the celebration, where he was greeted by cheering crowds. In previous years, Israel prevented Arafat from attending the celebration, accusing him of advocating violence.
At St. Catherine's Church adjacent Manger Square, hundreds of people packed the church to celebrate midnight Mass--some forced to sit on the floor. Abbas was among those attending.
At the service, Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah, the senior Roman Catholic official in the Holy Land, called on Israelis and Palestinians to put violence behind them.
"Our situation continues to be a situation of conflict, violence, insecurity, fear, military occupation, the wall of separation, of imprisoned cities and demolitions," he said.
"Palestine and Israel must conquer the evil of violence ... and give birth to a new society of brothers and sisters in which no one controls the other, no one is occupied by the other, no one causes insecurity for the other, no one takes liberty from the other," the patriarch added.
Earlier in the day, Sabbah led a procession of some 1,000 Christians through Bethlehem to the accompaniment of a Palestinian band.
Kenneth Chan
Ecumenical Press