The Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has attended a Christmas Eve mass at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, the site traditionally regarded as the birthplace of Jesus.

This is the third year that the city of Bethlehem - whose Palestinian population is one-third Christian and two-thirds Muslim - has celebrated Christmas under the rule of the Palestinian National Authority.

The mass attended by Mr Arafat, the authority's Chairman, heralds the start of just one of the three Christmases observed in the city each year. While Roman Catholics and Protestants celebrate on December 25, the Greek, Syrian and Coptic Orthodox churches wait until January 6 and the Armenians until January 18.

The Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat attending the service

Thousands of pilgrims from around the world have traveled to Bethlehem for Christmas. Many gathered in Manger Square to sing carols and watch the service, relayed live from the Church of the Nativity, on giant TV screens.

The Palestinian Authority decided this year to ensure the annual gathering was a solemn religious event rather than the rowdy Palestinian nationalist celebration it has been since Bethlehem gained self-rule. As a concession to the Christians pictures of Mr Arafat and Palestinian flags were absent from the square.

However, the Roman Catholic Patriarch of Jerusalem, Michael Sabbah, who conducted the mass, has issued a Christmas message, in which he called on Israel to make peace with the Palestinians.

The Patriarch, himself a Palestinian, said the Jewish state held the key to war or peace. But he also appealed to his fellow Palestinians not to lose hope among what he called the growing difficulties caused by the halt in the peace process.

Earlier in the day Israeli troops sealed the entrance to Bethlehem for two hours while they investigated a bomb scare.

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