EU want Israel to lift ban on Arafat
The European Union has called on Israel not to prevent Palestinian leader, Yassar Arafat from visiting Bethlehem for Christmas Eve mass.
The call was made by Belgium, who currently hold the rotating presidency of the EU.
Earlier Israel said it would ban Mr Arafat from visitng Bethlehem for Christmas celebrations saying he had not done enough to crackdown on Islamic militants.
Mr Arafat is a practising Muslim but has attended Christmas Eve services at the city's Church of the Nativity with his wife since 1995.
