Enhanced security in Bethlehem

In this period of Christian pilgrimages to the Holy Land

Palestinian police inspects his troops, and revises upwards its security apparatus.

Some 500 troops to be deployed in Bethlehem, West Bank town about 10 kilometers south of Jerusalem and, according to tradition, Jesus was born.

"We came here to celebrate Christmas, says Steve Adam, a native tourist from Canada. With us, the celebration of Christmas is very commercial and we wanted to feel the spirit of the birth of Christ. Bethlehem is fantastic, it's a very beautiful place. We arrived yesterday, and it is peaceful, the people are very warm and friendly to us. "

The celebration of Christmas is usually the opportunity to get your fill of tourists to the city of Bethlehem.

"This is where Jesus was born and we are here to celebrate with those we love and discover how Palestine is nice, Merry Christmas!", Is an inhabitant of enthusiasm Shefa Amr Israeli town where a majority of residents 'Arab Christians.

Attendance of tourists, however, looks less this year in the holy city, due to recurring tensions since the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip in July.

Still on Monday, a demonstration of a few dozen Palestinians dressed as Santa and denouncing the Israeli occupation erupted near a checkpoint in Bethlehem.

The President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas has meanwhile talks tough on this point. He said in Algiers on Tuesday, during a meeting with President Bouteflika, he no longer deal with the Israeli government, if it did not end the occupation by 2017.