Nazareth's streets empty as tourists retreat to safer southern Israel

Published: 2006-07-26

NAZARETH, Israel (CNS) -- Things were just starting to look up for the city of Nazareth: Tourist buses crammed the streets and new restaurants and coffeehouses opened their doors to gladly receive the influx of visitors. But when the Hezbollah-Israeli violence broke out in mid-July, the tourists packed their bags and made a hasty retreat to southern Israel, where they could avoid rocket attacks and life was still fairly normal. At Nazareth's darkened, cavernous Basilica of the Annunciation July 25, two cleaning ladies rhythmically washed the floors while Eva Waisser, 60, and her family -- Jews from Mexico -- were the lone visitors. "We are in Israel visiting friends and family and are visiting different sites. There are robberies and kidnappings all over the world," said Waisser, noting that Nazareth was as far north in Israel as they were willing to go. In two weeks of violence between Israel and the militant Islamic group Hezbollah, based in Lebanon, two rockets fell on Nazareth, killing two children July 19. However, the Franciscan superior of the basilica, Father Ricardo Bustos, said he did not think it would happen again, and he had not taken any special precautions to protect the basilica.

Copyright (c) 2006 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .