Bethlehem marks hopeful Christmas
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Peace appeals are heard as Palestinian leaders join festivities in the West Bank town of Bethlehem.
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In the birthplace of Jesus, Muslims and Christians used to celebrate the season in peace. A TIME correspondent recalls holidays past in a troubled land
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BETHLEHEM, West Bank, DEC. 22, 2004 .- The Israeli government announced that it would not prevent Israeli Christians from visiting Bethlehem for Christmas celebrations.
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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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BETHLEHEM, West Bank  - Pilgrims gathered in Bethlehem on Monday for a Christmas mass promoted by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Western powers as a chance to highlight the benefits of peacemaking.
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THE OLD Christmas carolâs âlittle townâ is now a city larger than Charleston, and itâsa depressing place. Four years ago, more than 91,000 tourists visited in a year to see Bethlehemâs religious
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Several thousand pilgrims celebrated Christmas Eve in the traditional birthplace of Jesus on Friday, welcoming the new thaw in Israeli-Palestinian relations and voicing hopes for peace in the Middle East.
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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 the latest sign that Israeli-Palestinian relations are warming since the death of Yasser Arafat, Israel is allowing free travel into Bethlehem this Christmas Eve.
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BETHLEHEM, West Bank -- Several thousand pilgrims celebrated Christmas Eve in the traditional birthplace of Jesus yesterday, voicing hopes for peace in the Middle East.
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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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Israel freed up travel into Bethlehem on Christmas Eve and handed out candy to Palestinian and foreign pilgrims at roadblocks, the latest signs of warming Israeli
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Thousands of pilgrims and a new Palestinian leadership celebrated Christmas in the town of Jesus's birth Saturday with prayers for peace after the death of Yasser Arafat.
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BETHLEHEM, West Bank  - Bethlehem souvenir store owner Mike Canawati is gearing up for his merriest Christmas in years.
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In the new optimism of the Mideast, Bethlehem finds itself blessed with more visitors this year than at any time since the Palestinian offensive began in 2000 â-n fact, twice as many in 2004 than in 2003.
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BETHLEHEM, West Bank  - Muslims and Christians joined together on Christmas Eve in the West Bank town of Bethlehem, holding their breath that the festive season would be peaceful and possibly the start of a new dawn.
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As memorial posters of Yasser Arafat fade fast in Bethlehem&#39;s Manger Square, Palestinians in the birthplace of Jesus dare to hope this Christmas will not be as bleak as the last few.