Jesus Birthplace

Bethlehem is normally at its busiest at Christmas but this year war has scared away tourists and pilgrims from the Palestinian town in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, leaving hotels, restaurants and souvenir shops deserted.

Bethlehem is buzzing, with more tourists expected this Christmas than have visited the Biblical city in years, causing the kind of problem that modern technology was almost born to deal with.

Thousands of pilgrims and tourists from around the world together with locals began Christmas Eve celebrations in Jesus' traditional birthplace of Bethlehem on Saturday, raising spirits after a tense year that saw a spike in violence between Palestinians and Israelis.

It's Christmas season and the little town of Bethlehem is jammed with a big-city problem: Traffic snarling streets everywhere, including around the church marking the spot where tradition says Jesus was born. The city is considering a dramatic solution to the problem - digging a tunnel under Manger Square.

Pope Francis made a plea for peace on Sunday at the start of a pilgrimage to Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, saying the prolonged Israel-Palestinian conflict had become unacceptable.

Thousands of worshipers and tourists from around the world flocked Tuesday to Jesus's birthplace in Bethlehem, as the Middle East reels from conflicts and Pope Francis celebrates his first Christmas mass.

US President Barack Obama will visit the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, where Christians believe Jesus was born, when he visits the region next week, Palestinian sources said.

Naomi Campbell celebrated her 42nd birthday on Tuesday with a trip to the birthplace of Jesus.

Thousands of pilgrims descended on Bethlehem, considered Jesus Christ's birthplace, bringing more cheers to the tourism-based economy.

Bethlehem is normally at its busiest at Christmas but this year war has scared away tourists and pilgrims from the Palestinian town in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, leaving hotels, restaurants and souvenir shops deserted.

Bethlehem is buzzing, with more tourists expected this Christmas than have visited the Biblical city in years, causing the kind of problem that modern technology was almost born to deal with.

Thousands of pilgrims and tourists from around the world together with locals began Christmas Eve celebrations in Jesus' traditional birthplace of Bethlehem on Saturday, raising spirits after a tense year that saw a spike in violence between Palestinians and Israelis.

It's Christmas season and the little town of Bethlehem is jammed with a big-city problem: Traffic snarling streets everywhere, including around the church marking the spot where tradition says Jesus was born. The city is considering a dramatic solution to the problem - digging a tunnel under Manger Square.

Pope Francis made a plea for peace on Sunday at the start of a pilgrimage to Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, saying the prolonged Israel-Palestinian conflict had become unacceptable.

Thousands of worshipers and tourists from around the world flocked Tuesday to Jesus's birthplace in Bethlehem, as the Middle East reels from conflicts and Pope Francis celebrates his first Christmas mass.

US President Barack Obama will visit the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, where Christians believe Jesus was born, when he visits the region next week, Palestinian sources said.

Naomi Campbell celebrated her 42nd birthday on Tuesday with a trip to the birthplace of Jesus.

Thousands of pilgrims descended on Bethlehem, considered Jesus Christ's birthplace, bringing more cheers to the tourism-based economy.