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| Christian worshipers visits the Church of Nativity, traditionally
believed by Christians to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ, ahead of
Christmas, in the West Bank town of Bethlehem, Friday, Dec. 21, 2012.
(AP Photo/Nasser Shiyoukhi) |
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| In this photo taken on Monday, Dec 17, 2012, Bethlehem’s first female
mayor, Vera Baboun tours near the Church of Nativity, traditionally
believed by Christians to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ, in the West
bank city of Bethlehem. Bethlehem’s first female mayor, Vera Baboun,
can’t walk through the main square of the biblical town without being
stopped by admirers. “This is our new mayor, who is turning Bethlehem
into one of the greatest cities in the world,” a tour guide hollered to a
group of Christian tourists passing by the Church of the Nativity,
built over the grotto where tradition says Jesus was born. After seven
years of Islamist Hamas control of Bethlehem that drained the town of
international aid funds, Baboun, a Christian, and her colleagues from
the more moderate Fatah Party hope to turn things around, starting with
the Christmas season. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) |
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| A Palestinian vendor pushes a cart in front of a Christmas tree as he
sells corn at Manger Square outside the Church of the Nativity in the
West Bank town of Bethlehem December 16, 2012. REUTERS/Ammar Awad (WEST
BANK - Tags: RELIGION FOOD) | |
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| People watch fireworks explode after the lighting of the Christmas tree
outside the Church of Nativity in the West Bank town of Bethlehem
December 15, 2012. REUTERS/Ammar Awad (WEST BANK - Tags: RELIGION) |
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| A Palestinian wood carver works on a figurine of the baby Jesus in an
olive wood factory in the West Bank town of Bethlehem, ahead of
Christmas, Friday, Dec. 21, 2012. (AP Photo/Nasser Shiyoukhi) |
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| A worshipper lights a candle in the Church of the Nativity in the West
Bank town of Bethlehem December 20, 2012. REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman (WEST
BANK - Tags: RELIGION) |
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| Tens of thousands of pilgrims and tourists are expected to visit
Bethlehem in the West Bank over Christmas. Photograph: Musa Al-Shaer/AFP/Getty Image |
"OK, we are living in a big prison, but we still hope that things will change."
Bethlehem
is "a symbol of hope and peace" to the world, said Rishmawi. However,
he added: "Hotels in Bethlehem will be full at Christmas, but we need
families to come here all the year round, to walk in our streets and eat
in our restaurants."
More
visitors and statehood recognition raises hopes for tourism industry in
West Bank city, which is largely controlled by Israel.
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