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Israeli authorities are preparing to help the country’s Christian citizens and foreign pilgrims mark Christmas throughout the country with a variety of activities and services.

The Jerusalem Development Authority in conjunction with local residents will help decorate the Christian Quarter of the Old City with festive lighting, while iconic churches including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Dormition Abbey on Mount Zion, the Tomb of the Virgin on Mount of Olives and the Garden Tomb will hold services in a variety of languages. Meanwhile, the Jerusalem Municipality and the Jewish National Fund are distributing Christmas trees to local residents free of charge. Israel will permit 21,000 Christian residents of the West Bank and 5,000 Christians from the Gaza Strip to enter the country during the Christmas holiday, according to Israel Radio.

A traditional Christmas parade will take place today in Nazareth in the north of the country while the Tel Aviv Municipality placed a huge Christmas tree in Jaffa, where one of the main streets is decorated with festive lights.

Israel’s President Shimon Peres this week visited the Franciscan Church in Ramla to mark the Christmas celebrations for Israel’s 150,000 Christian citizens. He commented, “I came to offer my greetings on behalf of the State of Israel where Jews, Christians and Muslims live together… we all pray to the same Lord and we all pray for the same thing – that the Lord may grant peace to us and our children, free from hatred and animosity.”

Meanwhile, Israel’s Tourism Ministry will offer free transportation this evening from Jerusalem to help pilgrims travel to Bethlehem in order to attend the traditional Midnight Mass service at the Church of the Nativity.

The Independent this morning includes a feature on the difficulties facing Bethlehem’s Christians, who are leaving the city in increasing numbers, with the typically high Muslim birth rate and Israeli occupation of the surrounding area cited as two reasons behind the trend. The article notes that although tourism to Bethlehem has increased this year to 1.6 million visitors, the Palestinian Authority-controlled town is still facing economic challenges.

However a feature on Bethlehem’s Christians in the Times of Israel focuses on the concerns they face from Islamic extremism. A local leader, Samir Qumsieh, is quoted as saying, “Al-Qaeda is now in the West Bank… and this will add to our problems.”