The Israeli Coordinator of government activities in the Palestinian territories, declared tonight (Wednesday 12/18/2013), that the Israeli authorities will facilitate mobility for Palestinian Christians during the Christmas and new year's Eve, to navigate to and from the Bethlehem area.

According to the decision of the Minister of Defense, Moshe Ya'alon, Chief of the General Staff Gen. Benny Gantz, the Israeli army will take confidence-building measures with the Palestinians and Christians will be allowed to move freely in order to gain access to churches to pray.

As part of the preparations will be conducted coordination meetings between the military representatives in the Bethlehem area, with the municipality of Bethlehem and Palestinian security officials, as well as representatives from various international organizations and religious leaders in Bethlehem in order to coordinate the ritual by the status quo.

In this framework, will facilitate and accelerate the transit of Christians across military checkpoints during the holidays.

Among the facilities:
-Issuance of visas to Palestinian Christians from the West Bank to Israel during Christian holidays.
-Issuance of 200 Palestinians from Arabic countries to visit the West Bank, at the request of the Palestinian Authority.
-Approve the Christian Palestinians from the West Bank to travel in Israel during the holidays, in coordination with the Defense Ministry and the Israeli police.
-Permits to 500 Palestinian Christians from Gaza up to the age of 16 years and not less than 35 years old to enter Israel and the West Bank to participate in family and religious ceremonies.