Of
Peter Munch, Bethlehem
The year was difficult, it was bloody, but Christmas is the celebration of peace. That is why there is a demonstrative mood of joy in Bethlehem these days. The boy scouts are rehearsing for their drum parade on Christmas Eve, on the manger square in front of the Church of the Nativity of Jesus the 15 meter high Christmas tree with the red balls and the golden reindeer towers in all its splendor towards the sky, and all around business is booming. The tills never ring sweeter, Christmas is the absolute high season in the city of 40,000 inhabitants in the West Bank. The eternal conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, which has just escalated violently again, should disappear behind the scenes here, at least for a while.