Brussels, 27/12/2001 (Agence Europe) - The President of the European Parliament, Nicole Fontaine, has joined forces with others in Europe who have protested at the Israeli government's ban on Yasser Arafat travelling to Bethlehem at Christmas. In a statement, Ms Fontaine slammed the fact that the Chairman of the Palestinian Authority, elected by his people and recognised by the international community, has been prevented from making an act of religious fraternisation as he has done every year since 1995 with Christians celebrating the birth of Christ. She said it was a serious attack on the religious freedom to which the Jewish community is so rightly attached, adding that the "provocative decision" would not further the fight against terrorism, nor Israel's security, not the vital return to the peace dialogue.