_WORLD WATCH______________________________
________________Holy
Land_______________
Few pilgrims for Holy Week
Fear of fighting deters visits
The continuing uprising in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and the accompanying tensions throughout the Holy Land, kept away pilgrims during Holy Week this year.
The nearly seven months of violence, including incidents that have ranged from stone-throwing to gun battles, apparently persuaded many would-be pilgrims to stay home for Easter. But at least a few hardy souls were willing to make the trip to Jerusalem. “I was a little bit afraid because of the terrorism and the situation,” said Polish pilgrim Alexandra Niemirycz. “But I am a brave person and these are very important days for Catholics.”
Israeli and Palestinian officials had high hopes for the millennium year, forecasting record-breaking years for tourism to the religious sites. But violence from the Palestinian uprising dashed those hopes.
The Israeli Tourism Ministry said the number of tourists had fallen far short of the 3.2 million forecast. Visitors from Italy and Germany fell by around 70 percent and those from the United States by 50 percent. “I would say that only in the last six months, Israel had lost more than $1 billion in the field of tourism, especially in the hotel industry,” said Oren Drori, the ministry’s marketing strategy director.
Palestinian leaders have pointed to their own heavy losses, noting that most of the small shops that cater to the tourist trade in Jerusalem are owned and operated by Palestinians.