Christmas cheer returns to Holy City
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Cheer came back partly to the Holy city, considered the birthplace of Jesus with Israel easing travel restrictions and extending goodwill gestures towards pilgrims and the Palestinian Authority (PA).
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Hundreds of millions of Christians Saturday are celebrating Christmas, despite conflict, persecution and fear of terrorist attack.
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In Bethlehem, the town where Christians believe Christ was born, an estimated 3,000 Christians have moved abroad.
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Thousands of pilgrims and a new Palestinian leadership celebrated Christmas in the town of Jesus&#39;s birth yesterday with prayers for peace after the death of Yasser Arafat.
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to Ramallah by helicopter. Palestinians welcomed his return as if he was still alive, chanting, &quot;Welcome Abu Ammar, welcome the old man.
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BETHLEHEM, West Bank  - Thousands of pilgrims flocked to Bethlehem on Monday for a Christmas mass which Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Western powers hope will highlight the benefits of peacemaking.
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(Undated) Dec. 25, 2004 - As the world celebrates Christmas, there is new hope for peace abroad despite ever-present tensions. The crowds are larger than in recent years at Bethlehem, the traditional birthplace of Jesus Christ.
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BEIJING, Dec. 25 -- Under heavy security, Palestine Liberation Organization Chairman Mahmoud Abbas arrived in the holy West Bank city of Bethlehem Friday night to attend Christmas celebrations.
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Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) chairman Mahmoud Abbas has arrived in the West Bank town of Bethlehem for the annual Christmas Eve service.
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BETHLEHEM, West Bank, Dec. 24 -- Encouraged by renewed peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, Christian pilgrims from around the world converged on Jesus's traditional birthplace Monday to celebrate Christmas -- a palpable contrast to the sparse crowds of recent years.
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Palestinians lit a four-story Christmas tree in this biblical town Saturday, kicking off a holiday season free of fighting with Israel that officials say will bring the most pilgrims since hostilities broke out seven years ago.
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BETHLEHEM, West Bank, Dec. 24 -- Several thousand pilgrims celebrated Christmas Eve in the place traditionally known as the birthplace of Jesus, welcoming the new thaw in Israeli-Palestinian relations and voicing hopes for peace in the Middle East.
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25 December 2004 -- Hundreds of millions of Christians are celebrating Christmas today. Many of those are turning their. thoughts to a small Palestinian West Bank town where many people believe Jesus Christ was born 2,004 years ago.
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Several thousand pilgrims celebrated Christmas Eve in the traditional birthplace of Jesus on Friday (local time), welcoming the new thaw in Israeli-Palestinian relations and voicing hopes for peace in the Middle East.
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Religious harmony is on full display in a year when Christmas and the Muslim holiday of Tabaski fall within days of each other.
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Peace appeals are heard as Palestinian leaders join Christmas festivities in the town of Bethlehem.
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The Queenâs annual Christmas Broadcast, which appealed for greater tolerance and understanding between Britainâs differing cultural and religious groups, was tonight warmly welcomed by Muslim leaders.