Letter from Bethlehem #43

from: Toine van Teeffelen

As expected, the curfew is lifted on Tuesday 24 December, the day when the Latin (Roman Catholic) Patriarch traditionally enters Bethlehem for the Christmas celebrations. The day and night before, however, varous Bethlehem buildings were occupied by the army including the house of the director of Holy Land Trust, Sami Awad , and an apartment building in which Elias' son in law has a beauty shop. At one of the busiest days of the year, his son in law had to close the shop and open the doors for the soldiers who left it only early in the morning of December 24.

The town is enveloped in a sad mood. Several organizations in Bethlehem - Holy Land Trust, Arab Educational Institute, Wi'am, Bethlehem Bible College and the Arab Orthodox Society - decide to have a demonstration in front of the Church of Nativity along the route of the Patriarch.

During the Patriarch's entry we stand in our best clothes holding signs stating "end the occupation," "curfews equal detention camps," and "Silent Night, Holy Night?" - the last phrase a reference to the silence imposed by the curfews. Mary and her sisters from France who have come over for Christmas, join us, as well as some of Mary's colleagues from the university. Jara wants to carry a wooden demonstration sign all by herself.

The Nativity Square is full of people although there are less than during a normal Christmas. We are filmed by many TV and photo cameras as a background d