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Last update - 01:09 19/12/2007 Israel expects over 60,000 pilgrims to come for Christmas By Irit Rosenblum Tags: Christians, Tourism Ministry  The Tourism Ministry is expecting more than 60,000 Christian tourists to visit Israel this Christmas, up from 40,000 last year. Of these, more than 20,000 are expected to attend Christmas mass in Bethlehem, and the Tourism Ministry is coordinating with both its Palestinian counterpart and the security services in an effort to ensure they can get there and back easily. To facilitate this effort, the ministry plans to run a regular bus service to the crossing point near Bethlehem from noon on Monday, December 24 through noon on Tuesday, December 25. The buses will leave every half hour from the Mar Elias Monastery, located between Jerusalem and Bethlehem. The ministry will also post extra staffers at the crossing. Advertisement To speed up passage through the crossing, the ministry is collecting the necessary data for members of group tours in advance. It will also open a situation room to handle problems tourists encounter over the holiday season. In addition to Bethlehem, Jerusalem and Nazareth are expected to draw large numbers of pilgrims, so extra staff will be added to local tourist offices in both cities over the holiday season. These offices also have been stocked with informational brochures in several languages. In addition, Tourism Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch urged the mayors of both cities to make extra efforts to clean up their towns in advance of the holiday. At a press conference Tuesday, Aharonovitch said that tourism cooperation between Israel and the Palestinian Authority serves the economic interests of both. "The many tourists who visit us during this season create a bridge for cooperation, understanding and peace between the peoples, and we will work together to ensure full freedom of religion and worship," he said. Altogether, about 1 million Christian tourists are expected to visit Israel this year, an increase of 30 percent compared to 2006. About half of them are believed to be pilgrims. Related articles: Pilgrims flock to Jerusalem holy sites ahead of Easter Israel agrees to let 900 Gazans enter en route to Hajj in Mecca Hamas promises $50,000 to dress up Bethlehem for Christmas Bookmark to del.icio.us   Good Avraham Hunting An ex-security guard solves a problem that has baffled mathematicians for decades. A better place Some 2,400 African refugees have entered Israel via Egypt since January.   1.   The Apartheid Wall in Bethlehem Looks Lovely 02:42  |  POP 19/12/07   2.   Israel welcomes you! (or should) 04:01  |  Yered Shmuel 19/12/07   3.   Welcome? 06:44  |  Jacob 19/12/07   4.   The best gift for Xmas: a nice look upon Har Homa 07:35  |  Leser 19/12/07   5.   Wrong: Pilgrims don`t go to ISRAEL. As Catholics visiting ... 10:16  |  Andreas 19/12/07   6.   To #5 - not 11:38  |  Michael 19/12/07   7.   DURRING HOLOCAUST THEY DIDN"T LET US LEAVE EUROPE........... 18:15  |  Charedi 19/12/07   8.   #2 Christians 20:53  |  T A Sheppard 19/12/07   9.   no 18:34  |  lalo 21/03/08   10.   because 18:40  |  lalo 21/03/08

Today Online Bradley Burston: Macho U.S. Jews, pantywaist Israel Responses: 59 Jewish group seeks to purge YouTube of anti-Semitic videos Responses: 114 PM says worried Russian weapons will reach Hezbollah Responses: 77 Israel, Germany plan int'l summit to stop Iran nuke program Responses: 66 13-year-old boy wounded in terror attack near Hebron Responses: 65 Editorial: J'lem yeshiva massacre must not lead to boycott of Israeli Arabs Responses: 57 Rosner's Domain I've known my rabbi for more than 20 years... (WTR) Poll: Mideast summit in Moscow, a good idea? There's no need for American pressure on Israel Jewish connections in the NCAA (WTR) Rosner's Mailbox: Women in the pulpit? been there, done that More Headlines 19:32 Israel, Russia finalize deal on supply of armored vehicles to PA 16:34 Investing in Fayyad 16:05 IAF grounds all F-16I jets over carcinogenic material in cockpit 13:19 Officials: Israel to begin outfitting airliners with anti-missile systems within weeks 13:56 Hamas man dies in likely 'work accident' at Gaza training camp 16:08 Christian pilgrims flock to Jerusalem's Old City for Good Friday 10:53 Queen Vashti - from disobedient wife to religious feminist role model 18:55 German Jewish leader raps pope over prayer for conversion of Jews 18:53 T.A. court extends remand of parents suspected of seriously abusing baby 15:46 Hamas doubts reconciliation talks with Fatah will succeed, despite extension 09:53 13-year-old boy wounded in terror attack near Hebron 09:00 MIT chooses winners of contest to forge a 'Just Jerusalem' Previous Editions Select Day 20 mar 19 mar 18 mar 17 mar 16 mar 14 mar 13 mar 12 mar 11 mar 10 mar 09 mar 07 mar

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