Arafat Unable to Attend Christmas Mass in Bethlehem

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, December 25, 2001

Arafat Unable to Attend Christmas Mass in Bethlehem

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat will not be able to travel to Bethlehem and attend the midnight Christmas mass in the Church of Nativity, a high-ranking Palestinian official said on Monday.

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat will not be able to travel to Bethlehem and attend the midnight Christmas mass in the Church of Nativity, a high-ranking Palestinian official said on Monday.

The official asking not to be named told Xinhua that Arafat's decision not to attend the Christmas mass was made after all international efforts failed to convince Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to allow Arafat to leave Ramallah for Bethlehem, both in the West Bank.

The United States, the European Union as well as several Israeli ministers and senior members of Sharon's Likud party tried to persuade Sharon to change his mind, but failed.

The Israeli inner security cabinet decided on Sunday not to let Arafat to leave Ramallah and go to Bethlehem, unless the Palestinians arrest the assassins of former Israeli Tourism Minister Rehavam Zeevi in October.

Ahmed Abdel Rahman, an aide to Arafat, said that Arafat would deliver a televised speech to the Christians in Palestine and in the world to congratulate them for the Christmas.

Abdel Rahman said that in his speech, Arafat would condemn the Israeli policy and the aggressions on the Palestinian people, adding that he would also call for peace.

"President Arafat would call upon the world to help the Palestinian people end the (Israeli) military occupation of their territories," said Abdel Rahman.

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