Tourism suffers in West Bank after Gaza conflict

(25 Nov 2012) SHOTLIST
1. Priests walking down aisle in Church of the Nativity
2. Priests circling alter
3. Priest reading to congregation during mass
4. Exterior of Bethlehem Star Hotel
5. Mid of hotel sign
6. Mid of receptionist behind desk in Star Hotel
7. Establisher of Jalil Elias, owner of the Star Hotel in Bethlehem sitting in his office on the phone
8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Jalil Elias, owner of the Star Hotel in Bethlehem:
"From the war, what is happened in Gaza, and what they (tourists) saw especially from the TVs while they are inside the hotels, they were very afraid. It was terrible. Economically, it was very bad for tourists (tourism). About 25 percent of the tourist for the future were cancelled actually, they are afraid to come."
9. Wide of priests conducting Mass in the Church of the Nativity
10. Mid of Priests during Mass
11. Christian worshippers singing
12. Mid of people praying during mass
13. Mid of nuns
14. Mid of choir singing
15. People singing
16. Wide of priests conducting mass
17. Extreme wide of mass
STORYLINE
Pre-Christmas festivities began on Sunday for Christian worshippers in the West Bank, but the latest round of violence between Israel and Gaza has affected the number of tourists visiting the area for the festive season.
Every year on the last Sunday of November, a special mass is held at the Church of the Nativity in the West Bank town of Bethlehem.
The church was packed this year with dozens of Catholic worshippers.
But as the Christmas season approaches, the recent period of fighting between Israel and the Gaza Strip has had an impact on the West Bank too.
Jalil Alias, the Palestinian owner of two hotels in Bethlehem, said his guests had been scared watching news of the fighting on television.
Elias said that usually during this season, coming up to Christmas, his hotels take many tourist bookings, but since the fighting broke out, he has been getting cancellations.
"About 25 percent of the tourists for the future cancelled," he said. "They are afraid to come."
The fighting ended when a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas was agreed on Wednesday.
Over eight days, Israel's aircraft carried out some 1,500 strikes on what its military described as Hamas-linked targets, while Gaza fighters fired roughly the same number of rockets at Israel.
The fighting killed 166 Palestinians, including scores of civilians, and six Israelis.


Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives ​​
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/


You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metad....ata/youtube/d11068dc