AS THE Christmas season begins, many of us will turn our thoughts to the 'little town' of Bethlehem where, for Christians especially, the story began and to the flocks of sheep watched over by shepherds.

Sadly for the residents of Bethlehem and the surrounding countryside, the reality of military occupation by the state of Israel makes for grim reading, and the destruction of 'normal' life as we know it.

The construction of a 25ft high separation wall, accepted as illegal by the International Court of Justice in the Hague in July 2004, makes taking sheep to their grazing pastures nigh on impossible.

Living on the land close to Bethlehem can also be a challenge. The Nassar family whose ancestral land can be traced back to Ottoman times, were rewarded, earlier this year, for their ongoing peace and reconciliation work, when the Israeli Defence Force chose to destroy 1,500 mature fruit trees including fig, apple and grape which they had nurtured for ten years.

On Saturday, at City Screen, York at 3:45pm there is a great opportunity to see the acclaimed documentary film Open Bethlehem, which chronicles events from the last decade of life in the city, creating a portrait of Bethlehem as it has never been seen before.

Described by Jon Snow as “One of the most remarkable and moving documentaries I have seen “ This event is a must for all who want to singing out about Bethlehem this Christmas.

Sue Cooke, Windmill Rise, York.