Sabbah fanned incense over the altar, and led a service that included prayers in Arabic, English and Latin. A hunt for Jamil Jadala, a Bethlehem native accused of involvement in the October killings of two Israelis, was still under way when Palestinian Austhority President Yassar Arafat arrived in Bethlehem early Thursday evening. Arafat is under pressure from Israel to contain political violence, and Jadala's escape from a Nablus jail earlier this week has embarrassed him. Police on horseback and Palestinian boy scouts then escorted the procession into town. Although most of Bethlehem's residents are Muslims, the city decorates the streets with Christmas lights and puts up Christmas trees.
Religious rites reflect a diversity of cultures and variety of Christian sects.
In Bethlehem, there are Christmas Eve services in English, French, Arabic and Aramaic, the ancient language of Jesus. The scene resembles an open- air party, with pop tunes blasting on loudspeakers and vendors loudly hawking sweets and steaming ears of corn on the cob. At midnight, the Mass is shown on large television screens for what is always an overflow crowd outside in the square. On the outskirts of Bethlehem, quieter observances are staged at Shepherd's Field, near the place where the Bible says herders first learned of the birth of Jesus. The Associated Press contributed to this report.