Bethlehem Church of the Nativity

Bethlehem, West Bank. The countdown to Christmas has begun on a rare optimistic note in Bethlehem as Christians celebrate Advent, the period of preparation for celebrating the birth of Jesus, and the start of the festive season.

“We hope that this year will be a better year,” said the Rev. Amjad Sabara, the Roman Catholic pastor for Bethlehem, the town where Jesus was born, following services to mark Advent at the Church of the Nativity on Sunday.

Many residents congregating outside the church in the battle-scarred West Bank town concurred by expressing the hope the spirit of Christmas would shine brightly on Bethlehem after four years of conflict with Israel, since a Palestinian uprising began in September 2000.

“People have the feeling that things will improve once again,” said resident Manhal Assaf.

The Roman Catholic Church of St Catherine, in the Nativity complex, was crowded with worshippers on Sunday as Palestinian Christians poured in to mark the start of the Christmas season. Worshippers stood in queues to see the manger which marks the spot where Jesus is said to have been born.

Tension in the town had subsided after almost a year free of serious conflict since the Israeli army raided the town following a suicide bombing committed by a Bethlehem militant.

Now residents hope the lack of violence in the town, as well as the start of a new era following the death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, will entice Christians to celebrate the holiday in Bethlehem this year as they did in the past before the latest uprising, known as the second intifada.

Many of the souvenir shops around Manger Square where olive-wood nativity sets were once sold to throngs of tourists are boarded up and the main street, which before the uprising would have been packed with tourist buses is empty. “We hope that this year we will get many more pilgrims,” said Father Amjad. “We are hoping the situation will improve and then the people will return to work and life will go back to normal.” He added, “This year we are praying for peace.”