Some 3,500 Israeli Christians, mostly Arabs, crossed the lines into Jordan yesterday to observe the Christmas holiday at shrines in the Old City of Jerusalem and to attend midnight mass Christmas Eve at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. Granted permission to spend 36 hours in Jordan, many of them will visit relatives during their stay.
The crossing was described here as efficient and “good natured” with police on both sides cooperating politely and formally across the narrow, unmarked no-man’s land.
Israel’s Religious Affairs Minister Zorach Warhaftig observed the crossing from the Israel side while H.B. Khalidi, Jordau’s Foreign Ministry liaison officer, watched the operation from the other side. After the crossing, Mr. Khalidi told the press that this was a “classic example of cooperation between Jews and Moslems for the benefit of Christians.”
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
