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Palestinians Use Procession to Protest Israeli Occupation
Aired December 24, 2002 - 14:31 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: In the Middle East, the city known as the cradle of Christianity will not have to celebrate the holiday at the point of a gun. Israeli forces are honoring Christmas observances in Bethlehem by withdrawing troops and tanks to the outskirts of town.
CNN's Kelly Wallace is standing by live at Manger Square -- Kelly.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, it is a rainy, cold night here in Bethlehem, really matching the mood of Palestinian Christians. Many of those Christians saying they will continue to protest against the Israeli presence which continues even on the outskirts of the city.
There will be no holiday decorations throughout Manger Square, no holiday festivities whatsoever. And just take a look behind me. Down below at Manger Square, there is some activity, but normally on Christmas Eve night, this square would be packed with people, packed with Palestinian Christians, with tourists, with Christians from all around the world, but on this evening, it is relatively quiet, even just a few hours before midnight mass services as many people have stayed away.
Now, the religious celebrations are going on. Earlier in the day, there was the annual Christmas Eve procession of Christian clergy from Jerusalem here to Bethlehem to the Church of the Nativity, the place where Christians believe Jesus Christ was born.
But on this day, religious ceremony taking a bit of a back seat to politics. Because, you can see, Palestinians, some Christians, some Muslims, using the occasion to protest against Israeli occupation, and also to protest against Israel's decision for the second year in a row to bar Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, a practicing Muslim, from attending midnight mass services here. Many Palestinians we have talked to say that the Israeli curfews over the past few weeks have wiped away the Christmas spirit.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The people, they don't feel, you know, they don't feel happy. They don't feel that Christmas is like the other years because of the soldier, the...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: Now, the Israelis, for their part, say they don't want their forces here. They say their forces were not in the city for several months, and that they only returned after a suicide bombing. We'll recall that November 21 bombing in Jerusalem; the bomber was from Bethlehem. Eleven Israelis killed, including four children -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Kelly, what about the Israeli government, and how concerned is it about the appearance of these tanks and troops in Manger Square?
WALLACE: Well, that was a big concern, Kyra. Israeli officials knew that if Israeli forces were seen in and around Manger Square on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, some of the holiest days for Christians around the world, that would be, in the words of one top adviser, a -- quote -- "horrible picture." So there was a tremendous political concern about having forces leave Manger Square and go to the outskirts of the city. The Israelis also facing international pressure. Pressure from the Vatican to get its troops out, and again, Israeli officials say they were weighing the risks of staying in the city with the risks of leaving. They're still concerned about security, but right now they hope they don't have to be back in the city. They say it all depends if the Palestinians crack down on terror -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Kelly Wallace live from Bethlehem. Happy holidays, Kelly.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired December 24, 2002 - 14:31 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: In the Middle East, the city known as the cradle of Christianity will not have to celebrate the holiday at the point of a gun. Israeli forces are honoring Christmas observances in Bethlehem by withdrawing troops and tanks to the outskirts of town.
CNN's Kelly Wallace is standing by live at Manger Square -- Kelly.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, it is a rainy, cold night here in Bethlehem, really matching the mood of Palestinian Christians. Many of those Christians saying they will continue to protest against the Israeli presence which continues even on the outskirts of the city.
There will be no holiday decorations throughout Manger Square, no holiday festivities whatsoever. And just take a look behind me. Down below at Manger Square, there is some activity, but normally on Christmas Eve night, this square would be packed with people, packed with Palestinian Christians, with tourists, with Christians from all around the world, but on this evening, it is relatively quiet, even just a few hours before midnight mass services as many people have stayed away.
Now, the religious celebrations are going on. Earlier in the day, there was the annual Christmas Eve procession of Christian clergy from Jerusalem here to Bethlehem to the Church of the Nativity, the place where Christians believe Jesus Christ was born.
But on this day, religious ceremony taking a bit of a back seat to politics. Because, you can see, Palestinians, some Christians, some Muslims, using the occasion to protest against Israeli occupation, and also to protest against Israel's decision for the second year in a row to bar Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, a practicing Muslim, from attending midnight mass services here. Many Palestinians we have talked to say that the Israeli curfews over the past few weeks have wiped away the Christmas spirit.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The people, they don't feel, you know, they don't feel happy. They don't feel that Christmas is like the other years because of the soldier, the...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: Now, the Israelis, for their part, say they don't want their forces here. They say their forces were not in the city for several months, and that they only returned after a suicide bombing. We'll recall that November 21 bombing in Jerusalem; the bomber was from Bethlehem. Eleven Israelis killed, including four children -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Kelly, what about the Israeli government, and how concerned is it about the appearance of these tanks and troops in Manger Square?
WALLACE: Well, that was a big concern, Kyra. Israeli officials knew that if Israeli forces were seen in and around Manger Square on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, some of the holiest days for Christians around the world, that would be, in the words of one top adviser, a -- quote -- "horrible picture." So there was a tremendous political concern about having forces leave Manger Square and go to the outskirts of the city. The Israelis also facing international pressure. Pressure from the Vatican to get its troops out, and again, Israeli officials say they were weighing the risks of staying in the city with the risks of leaving. They're still concerned about security, but right now they hope they don't have to be back in the city. They say it all depends if the Palestinians crack down on terror -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Kelly Wallace live from Bethlehem. Happy holidays, Kelly.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
