Palestinians march through streets to celebrate Christmas

Palestinians celebrated Christmas during a variety of events across the Middle East on Wednesday.

Dozens of children marched through the streets of Bethlehem, in the West Bank, holding balloons and dancing with clowns and puppets.

In East Jerusalem in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, local families decorated a Christmas tree as Father Christmas gave out gifts to local children.

The festive scene was also overseen by Israeli soldiers because of rising tensions between local residents and Jewish settlers.

A Palestinian boy poses for a picture with people wearing elephant, mouse and Santa Claus costumes during a children Christmas parade near the Church of the Nativity, the site revered as the birthplace of Jesus, in the West Bank town of Bethlehem December 23, 2009. REUTERS/Ammar Awad