RAMALLAH, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of Palestinians on Monday joined the Christmas parade in the West Bank city of Ramallah, calling for spreading a message of hope from Palestine to the world.
As part of nationwide Christmas celebrations, Palestinians, young and old, joined the parade led by scouts who were singing Christmas hymns.
Laila Ghannam, governor of Ramallah, said this parade reflects "the image that Palestinians want the world to see."
"This is a national holiday for all of us, where we send a message to the whole world that our people deserve to have its own state and deserve the support of all freedom lovers for those who suffer everyday but have never lost hope," she added.
Raed Shraydeh, a resident of Ramallah who joined the parade with his family, expressed satisfaction with this event.
"It's a way to make people join the holiday celebration and hold an optimistic view of the future," he said.
Jamal Duaibes, parish priest of the Catholic Church of Ramallah, said this parade shows how much Palestinians long for hope and happiness despite their daily struggles under occupation.
"This is a clear message that we want to celebrate and the joy of Christmas. We want to spread this joy and the message of Christmas," he noted.
Christmas in Palestine is considered more a national occasion than a religious holiday as Jesus Christ is believed to be born in the Palestinian West Bank city of Bethlehem.
