MIDEAST-ISRAEL-PALESTINIAN

The poster of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is seen in front of the Church of Nativity during the annual Christmas procession in the West Bank town of Bethlehem 24 December 2001. Arafat confirmed he would not be able to attend Christmas mass in the West Bank city of Bethlehem because of an Israeli ban, and called it a "crime," in a speech on Palestinian television and radio this evening. AFP PHOTO AWAD AWAD