MIDEAST ISRAEL PALESTINIANS

An unidentified younster, a member of the Palestinian Catholic community prays during preparations to celebrate Christmas Eve at the Latin Church in Gaza City, Monday Dec. 24, 2001. Israel sent reinforcements Monday to checkpoints ringing Ramallah, where Yasser Arafat is staying, to prevent the Palestinian leader from defying the travel ban to Bethlehem. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)