IN STEREO

It’s changed a lot, actually. I have the experiences of being here while the Israeli occupation was here. On that day, they had barriers on all the entrances of the Manger Square. And they would look on the ID: if you are Christian, OK, come in. If you’re not Christian, keep out – this is something for the Christians. So when you went inside the Manger Square, you could stand there [and] you could watch the Christmas mass from inside, because they would put some screens or whatever. You would feel more comfortable. Because now, everyone can go there to the Manger Square; it’s open for everybody. There will be the corn carriages, the popcorn, and some people who are celebrating... something that is not Christmas.

It is a party. But not Christmas. This is the way you feel now. So these days, not a lot of people like to go on that day, since the declaration of this day as a national day, and not as a religious day for the Christians. For that reason, you know, lots of people from all over Palestine want to celebrate the national day that Yasser Arafat declared. And this is not anything at all related to Christmas. I don’t feel the spirit of Christmas on that day there, no. Most of the Christians don’t feel it. If you enter the church, this is something else. But outside the church, in the Manger Square? No, you don’t feel it. – Reema