Bethlehem walled off by Israel this Christmas

http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/swissinfo.html?siteSect=143&sid=6334325&cKey=1135165825000

BETHLEHEM, West Bank (Reuters) - Pilgrims travelling the ancient route from Jerusalem to Bethlehem this Christmas will find themselves hitting a dead end -- a towering concrete wall and metal gate under the lock and key of the Israeli army.

The dusty road to the town of Jesus's birth has been the gateway to Bethlehem since biblical times and would have been the likely path taken by Mary and Joseph. But today it leads to what the mayor of Bethlehem calls "the world's largest prison".

At the entrance is a brand new military crossing where for the first time this Christmas pilgrims and local Christians will pass through X-ray machines before emerging into Bethlehem from behind eight-metre (26-feet) high concrete walls.

There is a joke in that headline somewhere.

I'd call that a good.

The PA/Hamas folks are into destruction - of Israel commerce, historical atheist vacations and Christian pilgrimages. But the wall seems to have made a positive difference.

Sad that the wall is needed, and I hope it is no longer needed and torn down soon, but at this time I would not go to Bethlehem if there were not a wall and metal detectors.

Its kind of the chicken and the egg thing.

Don

forward with peace is the only "right" thing to do.

That seems like the only "right" and "honest" thing to do too.

Don

:-)