![A Santa Claus carries a way a Christmas tree at the Jaffa Gate in Jerusalem's Old City [ARCHIVE MATERIAL ]](/webimages/foto_large/2012/12/21/32d173ba14bfcf493066cd444bed4752_349130.jpg)
A Santa Claus carries a way a Christmas tree at the Jaffa Gate in Jerusalem's Old City [ARCHIVE MATERIAL ]
(ANSAmed) - JERUSALEM - A stately Christmas tree in the Jerusalem town council at Jaffa Gate, one of the entrances to the Old City, has got on the nerves of Orthodox Jews. Calls for it to be removed entirely or at least moved to a more discreet location have been made, according to the daily paper Maariv. As part of the town council's bid to highlight the Christmas holiday period, on Sunday at Jaffa Gate trees will be distributed cost-free to Christians living in the city. Mayor Nir Barakat has also ordered that a highly conspicuous tree be placed at the entrance to the Old City, and that lights and decorations be displayed in East Jerusalem, especially in Hebron Street (which goes towards Bethlehem). Maariv noted that the display of Christian symbols (including some images of Jesus and Santa Claus) has got on the nerves of Orthodox Jews. ''If they must absolutely be put on display,'' one of those involved in the protest told the newspaper, ''they should be so only within the Christian quarter of the Old City.'' Yesterday Israeli Head of State Shimon Peres conveyed his Christmas greetings to the Christian community. ''We are proud of the Christian population in Israel,'' he said. Peres also said that he was confident that ''it is possible to bring about a peaceful coexistence between Jews, Christians and Muslims in the Holy Land.'' (ANSAmed).
