The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has reassured the people of Bethlehem that neither they, nor the pressures that they live under are forgotten in the West. During a pilgrimage to Bethlehem with other English church leaders, Dr Williams addressed the city's civic representatives, stressing that problems had to be solved by people working together.

Every year at this time, Christians around the world turn their attention to Bethlehem, a small city in the West Bank where, according to Christian tradition, Jesus Christ was born. Christians have lived in Bethlehem for centuries, but now many are leaving. A bloody Palestinian uprising over the past few years and the construction of a massive security barrier around the city have diminished the Christmas spirit from Bethlehem.