Izivakashi, abantu bendawo bathandaza eBhetlehema ngoKhisimusi

BETHLEHEM, West Bank - IBhetlehema ligubhe uKhisimusi ngoLwesine nezixuku zezivakashi ezijoyina amaKrestu asePalestine endawo lapho uJesu azalelwa khona ngokwesiko, njengoba idolobha laseWest Bank lalihlala livela kanye ngonyaka emhlabeni.
Isimo besishubile, amakamelo amahhotela ebhukhwe ngokuphelele futhi abathengisi bebika ibhizinisi elihle okokuqala ngqa eminyakeni, njengesikhathi eside sodlame lwase-Israeli-nePalestine olwehlise imizwa nezokuvakasha kubonakala ngathi ziyancipha.

Imvula encane yehlela eBethlehem ekuseni kukaKhisimusi. Izinkumbi zabakhulekeli nezivakashi eziphethe izambulela zihambe ngesivinini zinqamula indawo ebheke phambi kweSonto Lokuzalwa KukaJesu, zakhiwe phezu kwendawo lapho kukholakala ukuthi uJesu wazalelwa khona.
Ngaphakathi kwesonto lesikhathi se-Crusader elikhanyayo, abantu abangamakhulu bafole ezinhlanu phakathi kwemigqa emibili yamakholomu kolunye uhlangothi, belinde buthule ithuba labo lokwehla izitebhisi ezimbalwa zamatshe eziya emgodini.

Iningi labantu esontweni lasendulo ngoKhisimusi ekuseni kwakungu-Asia, nabambalwa baseYurophu nabaseMelika bebajoyina.

Ngemuva kokungena ngesango eliphansi esontweni, uWayne Shandera, 57, udokotela waseHouston, eTexas, wabukeka emangazwe ubukhona obukhulu besonto elidala lamatshe. "Uzizwa uqhubeka nawo wonke ama-pilgrim eminyakeni edlule abelapha," esho.
KuJulie Saad oneminyaka engama-55 waseDenver, eColo., ISonto Lokuzalwa KukaJesu laliyingxenye yomuzwa omkhulu. "Ukuba sezweni lapho uJesu ahamba khona kuyinto engakholeki ngokomoya," kusho yena.

ESontweni laseSt. Catherine eliseduzane, uMbhishobhi omkhulu waseLatin osanda kufakwa, uFouad Twal, wenza inkonzo yakhe yokuqala yaseKhisimusi ekuseni endimeni yakhe entsha. EMiseni laphakathi kwamabili emahoreni ambalwa adlule, isonto lagcwala ngoKhisimusi ngabahlonishwa, kubandakanya noMongameli wasePalestine uMahmoud Abbas, kanye nezivakashi ezathola amathikithi futhi zadlula emasheke ezokuphepha.

Izinkonzo zasekuseni zikaKhisimusi bezikhululeke ngokwengeziwe. Iningi labahlanganisi bekungabantu basePalestine bendawo, ezinye izivakashi zime ngemuva, zilalele inkolo yolimi lwesi-Arabhu.

Ukuqubuka kombhikisho wasePalestina owawuvukela u-Israyeli ngasekupheleni kuka-2000 kanye nempi eyalandela imikhosi kaKhisimusi eyayigubuzele eBethlehem iminyaka, yabhidliza imboni yezokuvakasha eyinsika yedolobha.

Yize amanani ezokuvakasha eholidini kulo nyaka ayengekho emashumini ezinkulungwane abavakashela eminyakeni ephezulu yezikhathi zokuphela kweminyaka yama-1990 kanye neminyaka eyi-2000 yeminyaka, babevukile eminyakeni yamuva nje, lapho izivakashi eziyizinkulungwane ezimbalwa nje zangena. Izikhulu zaseBethlehem zathi ekuhambeni konyaka, izivakashi ezingaphezu kwesigidi esisodwa zivakashele idolobha lazo, zinikeza umfutho odingeka kakhulu emnothweni wendawo.

Noma kunjalo, konke akuhambi kahle eBethlehem, yize sehlile ubudlova nokuqaliswa kabusha kwezingxoxo zokuthula ngonyaka odlule phakathi kuka-Israyeli nohulumeni wase-Abbas.

IBetlehema lihlala lizungezwe ezinhlangothini ezintathu ngothango lwamatshe amakhulu kakhonkolo nocingo lwe-elektroniki olwakhiwe yi-Israel. U-Israel uthi lo mgoqo wenzelwe ukuvimba abahlaseli bokuzibulala, kepha ngoba ucwila ngaphakathi kweWest Ban
k, abasePalestine bakubona njengokuthathwa komhlaba okucashile oklinya umnotho wabo.
Ukuthuthela kwelinye izwe, ngakolunye uhlangothi, kunciphise inani lamaKrestu aleli dolobha laba ngamaphesenti alinganiselwa kuma-35 kuye kwangama-50 kubantu balo abangama-40,000, lehla lisuka kumaphesenti angama-90 ngawo-1950.

Imikhosi esedolobheni iWest Bank yaqhathanisa kakhulu nemizwa yaseHamas-run Gaza, eqhele ngamamayela angama-45. Izishoshovu bezilokhu ziqhumisa imiphakathi eseduze yakwa-Israyeli ngamarokhethi nodaka selokhu kuphele isivumelwano esontweni eledlule, belinde ukubona ukuthi ngabe i-Israel izolwenza yini usongo lwayo oluvamile lokuyishaya ngempi.

Umphakathi omncane wamaKrestu eGaza - abantu abayi-400 kubantu ababalelwa ezigidini eziyi-1.4, bamise iMisa laphakathi kwamabili ukuze babhikishe ukuvinjelwa kuka-Israyeli, okwenziwa ngemuva kokuba amasosha amaSulumane amaHamas enqobe indawo ngonyaka odlule futhi aqina ngenyanga eyedlule, ngesikhathi amasosha aseGaza eqala kabusha umlilo werokhethi .