RAMALLAH, Dec. 16 (Xinhuanet) -- Official Palestinian sources said Thursday that Italian Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini will visit Israel and the Palestinian territories next week and spend Christmas in Bethlehem.

    The sources said Fini will arrive in Tel Aviv on Monday to meet his Israeli counterpart Silvan Shalom and then head for Jerusalem to talk with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

    After the visit, Fini will head to the West Bank city of Ramallah to meet Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath and Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei.

    Fini will also visit the West Bank city of Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus Christ, and enjoy an orchestra performance on the occasion of Christmas, the sources said. Enditem