Large crowds have gathered in the biblical town of Bethlehem for Christmas Eve celebrations. Hundreds of tourists packed the town’s Manger Square to celebrate. The nearby Church of the Nativity sits on the spot where tradition says Jesus was born. Christians make up a small minority of Palestinians and Bethlehem is one of the only cities in the West Bank and Gaza where Christmas is really felt.
The number of visitors remains below the levels of the late 1990s, when Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts were progressing well. Following the outbreak of violence in 2000, the numbers plunged. But thanks to a period of relative calm, they have been steadily climbing in recent years - and are expected to get an extra push this year due to to the resumption of peace talks.
Large crowds have gathered in the biblical town of Bethlehem for
Christmas Eve celebrations.
