A mass to bless President Mahinda Rajapaksa and to mark his birthday was held in Bethlehem on Saturday.

Bethlehem Mayor Victor Batarseh and Sri Lankan Representative to Palestine T. Jayasinghe joined the group 'Friends of Sri Lanka in Bethlehem' to welcome Sri Lanka's support to Palestinians, including Palestine's membership of UNESCO and the United Nations, quoting a statement from the Sri Lankan representative office Ma'an news agency reported.

President Rajapaksa has headed the Committee for Solidarity with Palestine for 29 years, it says.