The Cremisan Valley is a valley located in Palestine on the seam line between the West Bank and Jerusalem .
134-644: The valley is one of the last green areas in the Bethlehem district, with vast stretches of agricultural lands and recreational grounds. The Salesian Sisters Convent and School, the Salesian Monastery and Cremisan Cellars are located in the valley. The main convent and monastery are part of the Salesian order, founded by Don Bosco . The convent and school were opened in 1960 and have around 400 students in their primary school, kindergarten, as well as
268-608: A Mediterranean climate ( Köppen climate classification : Csa ), with hot and dry summers and mild, wetter winters. Winter temperatures (mid-December to mid-March) can be cool and rainy. January is the coldest month, with temperatures ranging from 1 to 13 degree Celsius (33–55 °F). From May through September, the weather is warm and sunny. August is the hottest month, with a high of 30 degrees Celsius (86 °F). Bethlehem receives an average of 700 millimeters (28 in) of rainfall annually, 70% between November and January. Bethlehem's average annual relative humidity
402-496: A Palestinian gunman infiltrated the Israeli settlement of Elon Moreh and killed four members of the same family. On March 29, the Israeli government announced Operation Defensive Shield, terming it a large-scale counter-terrorist offensive. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued emergency call-up notices for 30,000 reserve soldiers, the largest call-up since the 1982 Lebanon War . The same day, two Israelis were stabbed in
536-504: A central base for terror groups and terror attacks mounted by several organizations, including Palestinian Islamic Jihad , Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades , and Hamas . The IDF spokesman attributed 23 of the 60 suicide bombers that attacked Israel in 2002 to Palestinians from Jenin. On April 2, more than 1,000 IDF soldiers entered the camp, calling civilians and non-combatants to leave. An estimated 13,000 Palestinians were housed in Jenin prior to
670-613: A city in the Kingdom of Judah was uncovered in 2012 at the archaeological dig at the City of David in the form of a bulla (seal impression in dried clay) in ancient Hebrew script that reads "From the town of Bethlehem to the King." According to the excavators, it was used to seal the string closing a shipment of grain, wine, or other goods sent as a tax payment in the 8th or 7th century BCE. Biblical scholars believe Bethlehem, located in
804-648: A heavy price." Palestinian attacks continued, with suicide bombings on 9 March (see Café Moment bombing ), 20 March, and 21 March. Shooting and grenade attacks also continued to occur in Israel and Israeli settlements . On 27 March, a suicide attack occurred in Netanya , where 30 people were killed in the Park Hotel while celebrating Passover . The event became known as the Passover massacre . The following day,
938-849: A leadership that was largely Muslim. During the Second Palestinian Intifada in 2000–2005, Bethlehem's infrastructure and tourism industry were damaged. In 2002, it was a primary combat zone in Operation Defensive Shield , a major military counteroffensive by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). The IDF besieged the Church of the Nativity , where dozens of Palestinian militants had sought refuge. The siege lasted 39 days. Several militants were killed. It ended with an agreement to exile 13 of
1072-506: A lengthy time – by armed men." For five weeks the Israelis held the city and church under curfew, with periodic breaks, continuing the siege on the church. Israeli snipers were given orders to shoot anyone in the church carrying a gun on sight, seriously wounding an Armenian monk who the IDF said looked armed, and killing the mentally impaired church bell-ringer who was shot as he left to ring
1206-543: A minority." The Palestinian Authority is officially committed to equality for Christians, although there have been incidents of violence against them by the Preventive Security Service and militant factions. In 2006, a Zogby poll that interviewed more than 1,000 Palestinian Christians from Bethlehem found that 79% of the respondents cited the Israeli occupation as source of difficulties leading
1340-563: A place of refuge as it had been in the past. In response to the IDF offensive hundreds of Bethelemites including Bethlehem's Governor sought refuge in the church, the helicopters of the Shaldag unit arriving half an hour too late. On April 3 the IDF laid siege to the church surrounding it with an elite paratrooper brigade specializing in sniper operations who used tactics including carrying out simulated attacks. The Vatican's top foreign policy expert Archbishop Jean-Louis Taura stated that while
1474-556: A response to the attacks during Operation Defensive Shield and today I see no problem with removing it." Fouad Twal , Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem said in 2013, "We remind Israeli decision-makers that the expropriation of lands does not serve the cause of peace and does not strengthen the position of the moderates." The 9 year legal battle waged by the two local monasteries and the 58 Palestinian landowners in Beit Jala ended when
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#17327807443051608-404: A tactic that allowed units to advance farther and more safely into the camps. Israeli commanders would send an armored bulldozer to ram the corner of a house, creating a hole. An IDF Achzarit would then enter the hole, allowing troops to clear the house without going through booby-trapped doors. Palestinian resistance was halted following the adoption of the bulldozer method, and most residents of
1742-597: A thousand businessmen, bankers and government officials from throughout the Middle East to invest in the West Bank and Gaza Strip . A total of 1.4 billion US dollars was secured for business investments in the Palestinian territories. Tourism is Bethlehem's main industry. Unlike other Palestinian localities prior to 2000, the majority of the employed residents did not have jobs in Israel. More than 20% of
1876-415: A town near Jerusalem, Bit-Lahmi by name, a village which once belonged to the king, has fallen to the enemy... Let the king hear the words of your servant Abdi-Heba, and send archers to restore the imperial lands of the king!" It is thought that the similarity of this name to its modern forms indicates that it was originally a settlement of Canaanites who shared a Semitic cultural and linguistic heritage with
2010-519: A well preserved and much venerated church existed in the town. In 985, the Arab geographer al-Muqaddasi visited Bethlehem, and referred to its church as the "Basilica of Constantine, the equal of which does not exist anywhere in the country-round." In 1009, during the reign of the sixth Fatimid Caliph, al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah , the Church of the Nativity was ordered to be demolished, but was spared by local Muslims, because they had been permitted to worship in
2144-651: Is 60% and reaches its highest rates between January and February. Humidity levels are at their lowest in May. Night dew may occur in up to 180 days per year. The city is influenced by the Mediterranean Sea breeze that occurs around mid-day. However, Bethlehem is affected also by annual waves of hot, dry, sandy and dust Khamaseen winds from the Arabian Desert , during April, May and mid-June. According to Ottoman tax records , Christians made up roughly 60% of
2278-658: Is a city in the Israeli-occupied West Bank of the State of Palestine , located about ten kilometres (six miles) south of Jerusalem . It is the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate , and as of 2017 had a population of 28,591 people. The city's economy is largely tourist-driven ; international tourism peaks around and during Christmas , when Christians embark on a pilgrimage to the Church of
2412-469: Is a microcosm of a protracted pattern that has serious implications for the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict...As the wall moves and constricts more communities in the West Bank, the possibility of a future two-state resolution becomes less likely. Moving the wall and disassociating Palestinian families from their lands and livelihoods will incite more resentment against the State of Israel among residents of
2546-530: Is a winery run by monks in the Monastery of Cremisan. The grapes are grown mainly in the al-Khader district. In 2007, the monastery's wine production was around 700,000 liters per year. In 2008, Bethlehem hosted the largest economic conference to date in the Palestinian territories . It was initiated by Palestinian Prime Minister and former Finance Minister Salam Fayyad to convince more than
2680-578: Is an association with the root l-h-m "to fight", leading to the meaning of "house of war" or "house of fighting", but this is thought unlikely. The earliest reference to Bethlehem appears in the Amarna correspondence ( c. 1400 BCE ). In one of his six letters to Pharaoh, Abdi-Heba , the Egyptian-appointed governor of Jerusalem, appeals for aid in retaking Bit-Laḫmi in the wake of disturbances by Apiru mercenaries: "Now even
2814-549: Is decorated with pictures of Pope John Paul II and Don Bosco. It is within Jerusalem municipal limits, while the storeroom on the other side of the parking lot is in the West Bank. The road to the monastery passes one of the coordinating offices between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Cremisan Cellars is a winery in operation since the establishment of the monastery in the 19th century. Modern equipment
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#17327807443052948-520: Is easier for Arab Christians to integrate into western communities than for Arab Muslims, since many of them attend church-affiliated schools, where they are taught European languages. A higher percentage of Christians in the region are urban-dwellers, which also makes it easier for them to emigrate and assimilate into western populations. A statistical analysis of the Christian exodus cited lack of economic and educational opportunity, especially due to
3082-403: Is seized, and homes bulldozed, for construction of thousands of new Israeli homes. Land seizures for Israeli settlements have also prevented construction of a new hospital for the inhabitants of Bethlehem, as well as the barrier separating dozens of Palestinian families from their farmland and Christian communities from their places of worship. Christians have reportedly suffered persecution under
3216-555: Is situated on the Judean Mountains . The city is located 73 kilometers (45 mi) northeast of Gaza City and the Mediterranean Sea , 75 kilometers (47 mi) west of Amman , Jordan , 59 kilometers (37 mi) southeast of Tel Aviv , Israel and 10 kilometers (6 mi) south of Jerusalem. Nearby cities and towns include Beit Safafa and Jerusalem to the north, Beit Jala to the northwest, Husan to
3350-758: Is the Milk Grotto where the Holy Family took refuge on their Flight to Egypt and next door is the cave where St. Jerome spent thirty years creating the Vulgate , the dominant Latin version of the Bible until the Reformation. There are over thirty hotels in Bethlehem. Jacir Palace , built in 1910 near the church, is one of Bethlehem's most successful hotels and its oldest. It was closed down in 2000 due to
3484-659: The Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip . When the Palestinian Authority assumed control in 1995, it publicly extended the boundaries of Bethlehem, allegedly to secure a Muslim majority. This expansion incorporated over 30,000 Muslims from nearby refugee camps into the city. Yasser Arafat, then the leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), unilaterally replaced the predominantly Christian city council with
3618-559: The Israeli cabinet decided to massively expand its military activity against these groups. On March 5, while talking with reporters in the Knesset cafeteria, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, pointing to the bloodiest week against Israelis since the start of the Second Intifada , explained the cabinet's decision: "The Palestinians must be hit, and it must be very painful. ... We must cause them losses, victims, so that they feel
3752-721: The Roman Empire , the city of Bethlehem was destroyed by Hadrian , but later rebuilt by Constantine the Great , who commissioned the Church of the Nativity in 327 CE. In 529, the Church of the Nativity was heavily damaged by Samaritans involved in the Samaritan revolts ; following the victory of the Byzantine Empire , it was rebuilt by Justinian I . Later, during the rule of several Caliphates , Bethlehem became part of Jund Filastin in 637. Muslims continued to rule
3886-625: The region , was conquered by the Philistines , which led the region to be known to the Greeks as " Philistia ", later corrupted to " Palestine ". A burial ground discovered in spring 2013, and surveyed in 2015 by a joint Italian–Palestinian team found that the necropolis covered 3 hectares (more than 7 acres) and originally contained more than 100 tombs in use between roughly 2200 BCE and 650 BCE. The archaeologists were able to identify at least 30 tombs. Archaeological confirmation of Bethlehem as
4020-618: The "hill country" of Judea , may be the same as the Biblical Ephrath , which means "fertile", as there is a reference to it in the Book of Micah as Bethlehem Ephratah. The Hebrew Bible also calls it Beth-Lehem Judah , and the New Testament describes it as the "City of David". It is first mentioned in the Bible as the place where the matriarch Rachel died and was buried "by the wayside" ( Genesis 48:7 ). Rachel's Tomb ,
4154-506: The "military escalation pursued by the Sharon government" and the "oppression of the Palestinian civilian population by the Israeli army", while also condemning suicide bombings. According to Yediot Aharonot , Israel's refusal to allow Spanish EU officials Javier Solana and Josep Piqué into the Mukataa to meet with Yasser Arafat , while allowing American envoy Anthony Zinni to enter, was
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4288-410: The "straw that broke the camel's back". The resolution was passed by a vote of 269 to 208, with 22 abstentions. During the fighting, 497 Palestinians were killed and 1,447 were wounded, according to a United Nations investigation, while 30 Israeli soldiers were killed and 127 were wounded. However, the human rights group B'Tselem only registered 240 Palestinians killed by Israeli security forces in
4422-563: The 1850s reported a population of under 4,000, nearly all of whom belonged to the Greek Church. He also noted that a lack of water limited the town's growth. Socin found from an official Ottoman village list from about 1870 that Bethlehem had a population of 179 Muslims in 59 houses, 979 "Latins" in 256 houses, 824 "Greeks" in 213 houses, and 41 Armenians in 11 houses, a total of 539 houses. The population count only included men. Hartmann found that Bethlehem had 520 houses. Bethlehem
4556-702: The Basilica of the Nativity. The Greek Orthodox were given control of the basilica and shared control of the Milk Grotto with the Latins and the Armenians . From 1517, during the years of Ottoman control, custody of the Basilica was bitterly disputed between the Catholic and Greek Orthodox churches . By the end of the 16th century, Bethlehem had become one of the largest villages in the District of Jerusalem, and
4690-517: The Christian quarters are named after the Arab Ghassanid clans that settled there. Al-Qawawsa Quarter was formed by Arab Christian emigrants from the nearby town of Tuqu' in the 18th century. There is also a Syriac quarter outside of the old city, whose inhabitants originate from Midyat and Ma'asarte in Turkey . The total population of the old city is about 5,000. Bethlehem has
4824-659: The Christians' middle-class status and higher education . Since the Second Intifada , 10% of the Christian population have left the city. However, it is likely that there are many other factors, most of which are shared with the Palestinian population as a whole. Shopping is a major attraction, especially during the Christmas season. The city's main streets and old markets are lined with shops selling Palestinian handicrafts , Middle Eastern spices, jewelry and oriental sweets such as baklawa . Olive wood carvings are
4958-627: The Crusaders. The treaty expired in 1239, and Bethlehem was recaptured by the Muslims in 1244. In 1250, with the coming to power of the Mamluks under Rukn al-Din Baibars , tolerance of Christianity declined. Members of the clergy left the city, and in 1263 the town walls were demolished. The Latin clergy returned to Bethlehem the following century, establishing themselves in the monastery adjoining
5092-649: The Emperor Justinian I . In 614, the Persian Sassanid Empire , supported by Jewish rebels , invaded Palestina Prima and captured Bethlehem. A story recounted in later sources holds that they refrained from destroying the church on seeing the magi depicted in Persian clothing in a mosaic. In 637, shortly after Jerusalem was captured by the Muslim armies , 'Umar ibn al-Khattāb ,
5226-698: The Frankish Kingdom of Jerusalem , was crowned in Bethlehem, and that year a Latin episcopate was also established in the town. In 1187, Saladin , the Sultan of Egypt and Syria who led the Muslim Ayyubids , captured Bethlehem from the Crusaders. The Latin clerics were forced to leave, allowing the Greek Orthodox clergy to return. Saladin agreed to the return of two Latin priests and two deacons in 1192. However, Bethlehem suffered from
5360-519: The Gaza settlement of Netzarim . Two suicide bombings occurred the next day, and another one took place the day after that. Overall, in March 2002, some 130 Israelis including approximately 100 noncombatants were killed in Palestinian attacks, while a total of 238 Palestinians including at least 83 noncombatants were killed in the same month by the IDF. The stated goals of the operation (as conveyed to
5494-602: The Ghassanid clans. Bethlehem's two largest Arab Christian clans trace their ancestry to the Ghassanids, including al-Farahiyyah and an-Najajreh. The former have descended from the Ghassanids who migrated from Yemen and from the Wadi Musa area in present-day Jordan and an-Najajreh descend from Najran . Another Bethlehem clan, al-Anatreh, also trace their ancestry to the Ghassanids. The percentage of Christians in
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5628-568: The Hawashin neighborhood surrendered before it was leveled. Palestinian commander Hazem Qabha refused to surrender and was killed. Throughout the Battle of Jenin , and for a few days afterwards, the city and its refugee camp were under total closure. There was much concern at the time about possible human rights violations occurring in the camp. Allegations of a massacre in Jenin were spread by Palestinians in order to create pressure on Israel to halt
5762-433: The IDF stated that the curfew was placed in order to prevent civilians from being caught in gunfights and getting hurt. Palestinian ambulances were stopped for checks following the discovery of an explosive belt in a Red Crescent ambulance . IDF Reserve Paratroop Battalion 55 entered Tulkarm with armored support. Palestinian militants abandoned their weapons and melted into the local population, and nine were killed by
5896-541: The IDF. A Tegart fort that had served as their headquarters was destroyed by an Israeli airstrike. The IDF also raided nearby villages, arresting hundreds of wanted men. On April 4, gendarmes from an Israel Border Police undercover unit surrounded a house in Hebron where a member of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades who supplied weapons to militants was holed up, along with his brother. The gendarmes demanded that
6030-590: The Israeli Knesset by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on April 8, 2002) were: to catch and arrest terrorists and, primarily, their dispatchers and those who finance and support them; to confiscate weapons intended to be used against Israeli citizens; to expose and destroy facilities and explosives, laboratories, weapons production factories and secret installations. The orders are clear: target and paralyze anyone who takes up weapons and tries to oppose our troops, resists them or endangers them—and to avoid harming
6164-613: The Israeli Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, were an initial drop in half (46 percent) in the number of suicide bombings – from 22 in February–March to 12 in April–May ;– and a 70 percent drop in executed attacks between the first half of 2002 and the second half (43 January–June, 13 July–December). While 2003 had a total of 25 executed suicide bombings in comparison to 56 in 2002,
6298-400: The Israeli Supreme Court ruled in favour of the petitioners in April 2015. The monastery and convent, it determined, ought to remain connected on the Palestinian side of the separation barrier. It was the second such decision in favour of maintaining the integrity of an area on the West Bank, following the Supreme Court's decision in favour of the villagers of Battir , who had petitioned to stop
6432-400: The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but reopened in 2005 as the Jacir Palace InterContinental at Bethlehem. The hotel is managed by world renowned international brand — the Intercontinental Hotel Group (IHG) and is second IHG hotel in the country after IHG in Jerusalem . In the New Testament , the Gospel of Luke says that Jesus ' parents traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem, where Jesus
6566-609: The Israelis and Palestinians resumed a variety of forms of low intensity warfare with each other." A UN fact-finding mission was established under UN Security Council Resolution 1405 (April 19, 2002) into Operation Defensive Shield following Palestinian charges that a massacre had occurred in Jenin, which later proved to be false. In its attachment to the UN report the Palestinian Authority decried Israel's "culture of impunity" and called for "an international presence to monitor compliance with international humanitarian law, to help in providing protection to Palestinian civilians and to help
6700-473: The Jenin incursion resulted in the deaths of 52 Palestinians. According to Israel, five were civilians and the rest were militants. Human Rights Watch reported that 27 militants and 22 civilians, as well as three unidentified persons, had been killed, based mostly on witness interviews. Israeli losses totalled 23 soldiers killed and 75 wounded. The IDF launched an incursion into Nablus with two regular infantry brigades and one reserve armored brigade. The city
6834-407: The Manger Square. By 2016, the Christian population of Bethlehem had declined to only 16%. The Christian population's proportion of Bethlehem fell from 87% in the 1950s to 12% in 2016. A study by Pew Research Center concluded that the decline in the Arab Christian population of the area was partially a result of a lower birth rate among Christians than among Muslims, but also partially due to
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#17327807443056968-444: The Middle East. Operation Defensive Shield was announced on March 29, but it is widely assumed preparations began nearly a month before. In early April, the IDF was conducting major military operations inside all Palestinian cities, but the majority of the fighting centered on Bethlehem , Jenin , Nablus , and Ramallah . Over 20,000 Israeli reservists were activated during the conflict. According to Israeli authorities, Jenin became
7102-401: The Multidisciplinary Industrial Park of Bethlehem, which was developed by the Palestinian government and France . The Church of the Nativity is one of Bethlehem's major tourist attractions and a magnet for Christian pilgrims. It stands in the center of the city — a part of the Manger Square — over a grotto or cave called the Holy Crypt, where Jesus is believed to have been born. Nearby
7236-475: The Muslim quarter in 1834 by Egyptian troops, apparently as a reprisal for the murder of a favored loyalist of Ibrahim Pasha , during the Peasants' revolt in Palestine . In 1841, Bethlehem came under Ottoman rule once again and remained so until the end of World War I. Under the Ottomans, Bethlehem's inhabitants faced unemployment, compulsory military service , and heavy taxes, resulting in mass emigration, particularly to South America . An American missionary in
7370-440: The Nativity , revered as the location of the Nativity of Jesus . A possible first mention of Bethlehem is in the Amarna correspondence of ancient Egypt , dated to 1350–1330 BCE, although that reading is uncertain. In the Hebrew Bible , the period of the Israelites is described; it identifies Bethlehem as the birthplace of David . In the New Testament , the city is identified as the birthplace of Jesus of Nazareth . Under
7504-417: The Palestinian Authority, leading to emigration. According to International Christian Concern , there are reports of Christians suffering sexual harassments, kidnappings, forced marriages, extortion and murder of converts by Muslims and PA officials. Bethlehem is located at an elevation of about 775 meters (2,543 ft) above sea level , 30 meters (98 ft) higher than nearby Jerusalem . Bethlehem
7638-458: The Palestinians have joined the Vatican in bilateral agreements where they have undertaken to respect and maintain the status quo regarding Christian holy places and the rights of Christian communities, "to explain the gravity of the current situation, let me begin with the fact that the occupation of the holy places by armed men is a violation of a long tradition of law that dates back to the Ottoman era. Never before have they been occupied – for such
7772-513: The Palestinians in heavy street combat and using armored bulldozers and Achzarit APCs to clear away barricades. Many militants withdrew to the western part of the city, where they were attacked by the Paratroopers Brigade . Troops gradually moved into the city by destroying walls within houses to get into the next house (known as mouse-holing / Rhizome Manoeuvre ), in order to avoid booby-trapped doors and road-side bombs. The paratroopers advanced by sending several small units to take over houses at
7906-409: The Preventive Security Force, to point out which men were police officers and which were fugitives. Rajoub instead identified his policemen as fugitives and the fugitives as policemen, and the fugitives were all released. Shin Bet retaliated by releasing an official account that branded Rajoub as a traitor for turning over the fugitives in a CIA -brokered deal, costing Rajoub his job. The UN report on
8040-453: The West Bank during the period in which the operation took place. Approximately 7,000 Palestinians were detained by Israel including 396 wanted suspects. The World Bank estimated that over $ 361 million worth of damage was caused to Palestinian infrastructure and institutions, $ 158 million of which came from the aerial bombardment and destruction of houses in Nablus and Jenin . The effects of Operation Defensive Shield, as recorded by
8174-449: The West Bank while maintaining cordons of troops around certain towns and villages, and also continued carrying out raids on Palestinian-populated areas. The United Nations ' report on the subject states: "Combatants on both sides conducted themselves in ways that, at times, placed civilians in harm's way. Much of the fighting during Operation Defensive Shield occurred in areas heavily populated by civilians and in many cases heavy weaponry
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#17327807443058308-431: The West Bank, not less, increasing the frustrations that can lead to violence." During the Second Intifada of 2000 there were regular shootings from Beit Jala to Gilo. Israeli Defence Ministry spokesman Joshua Hantman said "The route of the security barrier is based on the specific security considerations of the area. In the Beit Jala region, it is there solely to keep terror out of Jerusalem." Palestinians interpreted
8442-417: The ability of Palestinians in the city to openly access their land and livelihoods, which has contributed to the exodus of Palestinians. The current name for Bethlehem in local languages is Bayt Laḥm /Bēt laḥm/ in Arabic ( Arabic : بيت لحم ), literally meaning "house of meat", and Bet Leḥem in Hebrew ( Hebrew : בֵּית לֶחֶם ), literally "house of bread" or "house of food." The city
8576-476: The age of 65. There were 11,079 males and 10,594 females. In the 2007 PCBS census, Bethlehem had a population of 25,266, of which 12,753 were males and 12,513 were females. There were 6,709 housing units, of which 5,211 were households. The average household consisted of 4.8 family members. By 2017, the population was 28,591. After the Muslim conquest of the Levant in the 630s, the local Christians were Arabized even though large numbers were ethnically Arabs of
8710-412: The barrier show it looping around the convent, keeping it on the Palestinian side, but splitting it from the neighbouring monastery, which would be on the Israeli side. The elementary children would still be allowed to attend the school, passing soldiers at an Israeli checkpoint. Landowners would be given limited access via an agricultural gate. According to the human rights group B'Tselem , 85 percent of
8844-438: The bells as he had done for three decades. He was left to die, bleeding in the square for hours. Six other men were killed by the IDF during the siege. On March 10 the siege ended, with a deal seeing some militants deported to the Gaza Strip, and the rest exiled to Cyprus. IDF infantry and armor entered Ramallah on March 29 and entered the Mukataa , Yasser Arafat's presidential compound. The Israelis forced their way through
8978-490: The book. The letters ܒܝܬܠܚܡ transliterate to ביתלחם. Amarna letter EA290 makes reference to a town bīt-ninurta which has been read as Bit-Lachmi by scholar W. F. Albright , following a proposal by Otto Schroeder in 1815 and making it a potential first historical reference to Bethlehem. This reading is, however, uncertain and has met with objections. Canaanite and Israelite toponyms starting with beth are interpreted to mean "house of", with 'house' understood as 'temple' and
9112-484: The cave was never dedicated to Tammuz and that Jerome misinterpreted Christian mourning over the Massacre of the Innocents as a pagan ritual over Tammuz's death. Joan E. Taylor has countered this contention by arguing that Jerome, as an educated man, could not have been so naïve as to mistake Christian mourning over the Massacre of the Innocents as a pagan ritual for Tammuz. In 326–328, the empress Helena , widowed consort of Emperor Constantius Chlorus and mother of
9246-454: The city is limited due to the Israeli West Bank barrier . While it was historically a city of Arab Christians , Bethlehem now has a majority of Arab Muslims ; while it is still home to a significant population of Palestinian Christians , this community has dwindled significantly, from about 86 per cent in 1950 to about 10 per cent in 2022. Presently, Bethlehem has become encircled by dozens of Israeli settlements , which significantly hinder
9380-420: The city until 1099, when it was conquered by the Crusaders , who replaced the local Christian Greek Orthodox clergy with Catholic ones. In the mid-13th century, Bethlehem's walls were demolished by the Mamluk Sultanate . However, they were rebuilt by the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century when it came to control the region. After the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire at the end of World War I , Bethlehem
9514-453: The city. During the early months of First Intifada , on 5 May 1989, Milad Anton Shahin, aged 12, was shot dead by Israeli soldiers . Replying to a Member of Knesset in August 1990 Defence Minister Yitzak Rabin stated that a group of reservists in an observation post had come under attack by stone throwers. The commander of the post, a senior non-commissioned officer, fired two plastic bullets in deviation of operational rules. No evidence
9648-467: The civilian population. IDF officers also noted that incursions would force Palestinian militants "to exert their energy by defending their homes in the camps instead of by plotting attacks on Israelis." The Palestinian attachment to the UN report on Operation Defensive Shield challenged the validity of the Israeli claim that it was targeting "terrorists," noting that, [...] the record shows clearly that
9782-618: The compound and surrendered to the Israeli army, and the facility was damaged by rockets. The Israelis extensively searched the facility and uncovered numerous incriminating documents, including a plan to recruit female Israeli soldiers as spies. Weapons stolen from the IDF were also discovered. The Israelis forced the hundreds of policemen and fugitives who surrendered to strip naked, fearing that some were armed or packed with explosives. They were then given jumpsuits, loaded onto buses and taken to Ofer Prison . Shin Bet asked Jibril Rajoub , head of
9916-428: The compound's perimeter and quickly occupied it. Arafat was given refuge in a few of the compound's rooms, along with assorted advisors, security personnel and journalists. In an effort to isolate Arafat physically and diplomatically, access to the compound was restricted, and Arafat was not allowed to leave. The IDF occupied the city after several hours of street fighting in which some 30 Palestinians were killed. Ramallah
10050-653: The continuous ' in partibus infidelium ' seat of the Bishopric of Bethlehem for almost 600 years, until the French Revolution in 1789. Bethlehem, along with Jerusalem, Nazareth , and Sidon , was briefly ceded to the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem by a treaty between Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II and Ayyubid Sultan al-Kamil in 1229, in return for a ten-year truce between the Ayyubids and
10184-655: The emigration of their community. In the same year, the Palestinian Centre for Research and Cultural Dialogue conducted a poll among the city's Christians according to which 90% said they had had Muslim friends, 73.3% agreed that the PNA treated Christian heritage in the city with respect and 78% attributed the exodus of Christians to the Israeli blockade. The only mosque in the Old City is the Mosque of Omar , located in
10318-554: The fact that Christians were more likely to emigrate from the region than any other religious group. The seizure of Christian land by Muslim mafias and the bias of the Palestinian Judicial system have been cited as reasons leading to emigration. Amon Ramnon, a researcher at the Jerusalem Institute for Policy Research , stated that the reason why more Christians were emigrating than Muslims is because it
10452-467: The item most purchased by tourists visiting Bethlehem. Religious handicrafts include ornaments handmade from mother-of-pearl , as well as olive wood statues, boxes, and crosses. Other industries include stone and marble-cutting, textiles, furniture and furnishings. Bethlehem factories also produce paints, plastics, synthetic rubber , pharmaceuticals, construction materials and food products, mainly pasta and confectionery. Cremisan Wine , founded in 1885,
10586-603: The later arrivals. Laḫmu was the Akkadian god of fertility, worshipped by the Canaanites as Leḥem . Some time in the third millennium BCE, Canaanites erected a temple on the hill now known as the Hill of the Nativity, probably dedicated to Laḫmu . The temple, and subsequently the town that formed around it, was then known as Beit Lahama , "House (Temple) of Lahmu". By 1200 BC , the area of Bethlehem, as well as much of
10720-479: The loss of the pilgrim trade, as there was a sharp decrease of European pilgrims. William IV, Count of Nevers had promised the Christian bishops of Bethlehem that if Bethlehem should fall under Muslim control, he would welcome them in the small town of Clamecy in present-day Burgundy , France. As a result, the Bishop of Bethlehem duly took up residence in the hospital of Panthenor, Clamecy, in 1223. Clamecy remained
10854-491: The main difference was the number of attacks which did not come to realization (184) either due to Israeli interception or problems in the execution. 2003 also saw a 35 percent drop in the number of fatalities from 220 deaths in 2002 to 142 deaths resulting from suicide bombings. Beverly Milton-Edwards, Professor of Politics at Queen's University in Belfast , writes that while aspects of Palestinian terrorism were reduced after
10988-516: The militants to foreign countries. Today, the city is surrounded by two bypass roads for Israeli settlers , leaving the inhabitants squeezed between thirty-seven Jewish enclaves, where a quarter of all West Bank settlers, roughly 170,000, live; the gap between the two roads is closed by the 8-metre high Israeli West Bank barrier , which cuts Bethlehem off from its sister city Jerusalem. Christian families that have lived in Bethlehem for hundreds of years are being forced to leave as land in Bethlehem
11122-415: The nature of the actions taken, the amount of harm inflicted on the population and the practical results prove completely different political goals [...] the Israeli occupying forces have consistently targeted the Palestinian police and security forces, instead of "terrorists", and have consistently tried to destroy the Palestinian Authority and declared it an "enemy", instead of groups hostile to peace in
11256-581: The official refugee camps of 'Azza (Beit Jibrin) and 'Aida in the north and Dheisheh in the south. The influx of refugees significantly transformed Bethlehem's Christian majority into a Muslim one. Jordan retained control of the city until the Six-Day War in 1967, when Bethlehem was captured by Israel, along with the rest of the West Bank . Following the Six-Day War, Israel took control of
11390-614: The operation, Israel's objective of ending the Al-Aqsa Intifada remained unmet. Israeli destruction of institutions belonging to the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the "emasculation" of the PA and its President, Yasser Arafat , opened a vacuum in the social and welfare system that was rapidly filled by the Hamas , whose popularity grew. Milton-Edwards concludes that, "The unequivocal victory [sought by Israel] eventually remained elusive and
11524-513: The operation, the IDF arrested over 100 Palestinians and discovered several explosives laboratories. High-ranking wanted persons fled east to Tubas , and were arrested a week later. IDF forces including the Jerusalemite Reserve Infantry Brigade entered Jerusalem with infantry, warplanes, and tanks while a special forces Shaldag Unit targeted the Church of the Nativity to deny it to the people of Bethlehem as
11658-405: The operation. The operation was led by the 5th Infantry Brigade, which had not yet been trained in close-quarters combat . During a series of sweeps, the Israeli military claimed the entire camp was booby-trapped. At least 2,000 bombs and booby traps were planted throughout the camp. In response to the discovery, the Israelis dispatched combat bulldozers to detonate any bombs that were placed in
11792-413: The operation. Claims of complete destruction of the Jenin refugee camp, a massacre of 500 civilians, and mass graves being dug by Israeli soldiers were proven false after a United Nations investigation. Reports of a large-scale massacre were found to be untrue, a result of confusion resulting from the Israeli refusal to allow entry to outside observers, and/or Palestinian media manipulation . Ultimately,
11926-484: The parties to implement agreements reached." A report of the European Union attached in the report stated, "The massive destruction, especially at the centre of the refugee camp, to which all heads of mission in Jerusalem and Ramallah can testify, shows that the site had undergone an indiscriminate use of force, that goes well beyond that of a battlefield." The report states that there were numerous reports of
12060-490: The population as 7,520 with 499 in nearby suburbs (including 42 Jews). The 1945 village statistics list Bethlehem's population as 8,820 (6,430 Christians, 2,370 Muslims, and 20 "other"). In 1948, the religious makeup of the city was 85% Christian, mostly of the Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic denominations, and 13% Muslim. In the 1967 census taken by Israel authorities, the town of Bethlehem proper numbered 14,439 inhabitants, its 7,790 Muslim inhabitants represented 53.9% of
12194-469: The population in the early 16th century, while the Christian and Muslim populations became equal by the middle of that century. However, there were no Muslim inhabitants counted by the end of the century, with a recorded population of 287 adult male taxpayers. Christians, like all non-Muslims throughout the Ottoman Empire, were required to pay the jizya tax. In 1867, an American visitor describes
12328-477: The population, while the Christians of various denominations numbered 6,231 or 46.1%. In the PCBS's 1997 census, the city had a population of 21,670, including a total of 6,570 refugees , accounting for 30.3% of the city's population. In 1997, the age distribution of Bethlehem's inhabitants was 27.4% under the age of 10, 20% from 10 to 19, 17.3% from 20 to 29, 17.7% from 30 to 44, 12.1% from 45 to 64 and 5.3% above
12462-547: The possibility, with some reluctant and others wanting to impose sanctions. Belgian Foreign Minister Louis Michel also said that the EU could rethink its trade relations with Israel. The European Parliament passed a non-binding resolution calling for economic sanctions on Israel, an arms embargo on both parties, and for the European Union to "suspend immediately" its trade and cooperation agreement with Israel. It condemned
12596-510: The project as a land grab to gain more territory on the West Bank. During the Intifada, a wall was built around Gilo to protect the settlers, but was mostly removed, leaving only 80 of the original 800 plates in place, in August 2010. Israeli Lieutenant-General Hezi Revivo said, "The security situation in the area is better than it was in the period before the wall was built. It was constructed as
12730-452: The proposed security barrier along a route that would have annexed about 75 percent of the convent's property and enclose it on three sides. The wall would also annex the farmland of 58 Palestinian families. Israel military authorities argued that construction of the wall was a necessary measure, or "matter of expediency," designed to thwart future attacks by would-be terrorists infiltrating into Israeli towns and settlements. 2012 proposals for
12864-653: The route falls inside the West Bank instead of following the Green Line . Residents of Beit Jala believe the route was chosen to connect the West Bank Israeli settlement of Har Gilo to nearby Gilo. In a May 6, 2013 letter to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry , Bishop Richard Pates , the chairman of the bishops' Committee on International Justice and Peace for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops wrote, "The Cremisan Valley
12998-411: The ruling emperor, Constantine the Great , made a pilgrimage to Syria-Palaestina, in the course of which she visited the ruins of Bethlehem. The Church of the Nativity was built at her initiative over the cave where Jesus was purported to have been born. During the Samaritan revolt of 529, Bethlehem was sacked and its walls and the Church of the Nativity destroyed; they were rebuilt on the orders of
13132-524: The same time and confuse the Palestinians, and relied heavily on sniper units. Palestinian militants often exposed their positions by firing at Israeli forces in another direction. During the battle over 70 Palestinian militants were killed, while the IDF lost one officer to friendly fire. The Palestinians surrendered on April 8. Nablus was placed under curfew on April 4, as the battle was beginning. The city remained under curfew until April 22. During
13266-427: The school for children with learning disabilities. The school also hosts a number of community activities in the afternoons and summer camps. The monastery, located on a hill 850 meters above sea level, is five kilometers from Bethlehem . It was built in 1885 on ruins of a 7th century Byzantine monastery . The main monastery, housed in a building featuring stone floors, thick walls and high arched ceilings,
13400-571: The second caliph, promised that the Church of the Nativity would be preserved for Christian use. A mosque dedicated to Umar was built upon the place in the city where he prayed, next to the church. Bethlehem then passed through the control of the Islamic caliphates of the Umayyads in the 8th century, then the Abbasids in the 9th century. A Persian geographer recorded in the mid-9th century that
13534-567: The second part of the name indicating the deity the local temple was dedicated to. Accordingly, one longstanding suggestion in scholarship is that the name Bethlehem derives from the Mesopotamian or Canaanite fertility god Laḫmu and his consort sister Lahamu , lahmo being the Chaldean word for "fertility". Biblical scholar William F. Albright believed that this hypothesis, first put forth by Otto Schröder [ de ] ,
13668-761: The separation wall from breaking up their traditional lands. On October 22, 1984, two Israeli students, Ron Levi and Revital Seri, were murdered beside the Cremisan monastery by a Palestinian from Deheishe , Issa Abd Rabbo. A week later an Israeli soldier , David Ben-Shimol, stole and shot a LAW rocket at a Palestinian bus as an unauthorized retaliation, killing one and injuring 10 Palestinians. 31°43′37″N 35°10′21″E / 31.727006°N 35.172601°E / 31.727006; 35.172601 Bethlehem Bethlehem ( / ˈ b ɛ θ l ɪ h ɛ m / ; Arabic : بيت لحم , Bayt Laḥm , pronunciation ; Hebrew : בֵּית לֶחֶם Bēṯ Leḥem )
13802-554: The settlement of Gilo within its precincts, while breaking up the contiguity of the two Salesian monasteries in the valley. The barrier would have divided the 19th Century Salesian monastery, relocated on the Jerusalem side from the neighbouring convent and primary school run by nuns. On April 24, 2013, the Special Appeals Committee of the Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court approved land expropriation for
13936-565: The six largest cities in the West Bank and their surrounding localities. Israel's military moved into Tulkarm and Qalqilya on April 1, into Bethlehem on April 2, and into Jenin and Nablus on April 3. From April 3–21, Israeli forces enforced strict curfews on the civilian Palestinian populations in the West Bank, and restricted movements of international personnel, including, prohibition of entry to humanitarian and medical personnel as well as human rights monitors and journalists. In May 2002, Israeli troops withdrew from Palestinian cities in
14070-467: The streets. Israeli commanders were still not confident that soldiers would be safe from booby traps and improvised explosive devices (IEDs). A rapid ground attack would clearly be costly in IDF lives, but political pressure from the United States and elsewhere required a rapid end to the fighting. Former defense minister Shaul Mofaz promised combat-operations would be over by April 6, but that
14204-480: The structure's southern transept. In 1099, Bethlehem was captured by the Crusaders , who fortified it and built a new monastery and cloister on the north side of the Church of the Nativity. The Greek Orthodox clergy were removed from their sees and replaced with Latin clerics. Up until that point the official Christian presence in the region was Greek Orthodox. On Christmas Day 1100, Baldwin I , first king of
14338-504: The subject noted: "It was not only the Palestinian people whose movement was restricted during Operation Defensive Shield. In many instances, humanitarian workers were not able to reach people in need to assess conditions and deliver necessary assistance because of the sealing of cities, refugee camps and villages during the operation. There were also cases of Israeli forces not respecting the neutrality of medical and humanitarian workers and attacking ambulances." In reply to these complaints,
14472-800: The town as having a population of 3,000 to 4,000, of whom about 100 were Protestant , 300 were Muslim and "the remainder belonging to the Latin and Greek Churches with a few Armenians." Another report from the same year puts the Christian population at 3,000, with an additional 50 Muslims. An 1885 source put the population at approximately 6,000 of "principally Christians, Latins and Greeks" with no Jewish inhabitants. The census of 1922 lists Bethlehem as having 6,658 residents (5,838 Christians, 818 Muslims, and two Jews), increasing in 1931 to 6,804 (5,588 Christians, 1,219 Muslims, five with no religion, and two Jews) with 506 in nearby suburbs (251 Muslims, 216 Christians, and 39 Jews). The 1938 village statistics list
14606-452: The town has been in a steady decline since the mid-twentieth century. In 1947, Christians made up 85% of the population, but by 1998, the figure had declined to 40%. In 2005, the mayor of Bethlehem , Victor Batarseh , explained that "due to the stress, either physical or psychological, and the bad economic situation, many people are emigrating, either Christians or Muslims, but it is more apparent among Christians, because they already are
14740-511: The traditional grave site, stands at the entrance to Bethlehem. According to the Book of Ruth , the valley to the east is where Ruth of Moab gleaned the fields and returned to town with Naomi . In the Books of Samuel , Bethlehem is mentioned as the home of Jesse , father of King David of Israel , and the site of David's anointment by the prophet Samuel . It was from the well of Bethlehem that three of his warriors brought him water when he
14874-522: The two accounts as contradictory; the Gospel of Mark , the earliest gospel, mentions nothing about Jesus having been born in Bethlehem, saying only that he came from Nazareth . Current scholars are divided on the actual birthplace of Jesus: some believe he was actually born in Nazareth, while others still hold that he was born in Bethlehem. Nonetheless, the tradition that Jesus was born in Bethlehem
15008-480: The two men surrender. Shots were fired at the troops, killing one of the gendarmes. After a gun battle lasting several hours, troops stormed the house, discovering the suspect's wounded brother. The arms merchant was found to have fled. Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Piqué , whose country held the EU Presidency, said that "sanctions against Israel are a possible scenario", and that EU states were discussing
15142-476: The village in the mid-16th century, three of whom were Muslims. Ottoman tax records suggest that the Christian population was slightly more prosperous or grew more grain than grapes (the former being a more valuable commodity). From 1831 to 1841, Palestine was under the rule of the Muhammad Ali Dynasty of Egypt . During this period, the town suffered an earthquake as well as the destruction of
15276-610: The west, al-Khadr and Artas to the southwest, and Beit Sahour to the east. Beit Jala and the latter form an agglomeration with Bethlehem. The Aida and Azza refugee camps are located within the city limits. In the center of Bethlehem is its old city. The old city consists of eight quarters, laid out in a mosaic style, forming the area around the Manger Square. The quarters include the Christian an-Najajreh, al-Farahiyeh, al-Anatreh, al-Tarajmeh, al-Qawawsa and Hreizat quarters and al-Fawaghreh—the only Muslim quarter. Most of
15410-491: The working population is employed in the industry. Tourism accounts for approximately 65% of the city's economy and 11% of the Palestinian National Authority . The city has more than two million visitors every year. Tourism in Bethlehem ground to a halt for over a decade after the Second Intifada , but gradually began to pick back up in the early 2010s. Schneider Electric operates a facility in
15544-674: Was "certainly accurate". Albright noted that the pronunciation of the name had remained essentially the same for 3,500 years, even if the perceived meaning had shifted over time: "'Temple of the God Lakhmu' in Canaanite, 'House of Bread' in Hebrew and Aramaic , 'House of Meat' in Arabic." While Schröder's theory is not widely accepted, it continues to find favour in academic literature over the later literal translations. Another suggestion
15678-496: Was a 2002 Israeli military operation in the Israeli-occupied West Bank during the Second Intifada . Lasting for just over a month, it was the largest combat operation in the West Bank since the start of Israel's occupation in 1967 . The operation began with an Israeli incursion into Ramallah , where Yasser Arafat was placed under siege at his compound . This was followed by successive incursions into
15812-544: Was arrested. On April 2, Israeli tanks and APCs surrounded the headquarters of the Preventive Security Force in nearby Beitunia as Israeli helicopter gunships flew overhead. Hundreds of heavily armed police officers and prisoners wanted by Israel were inside. Israeli troops used loudspeakers to announce that the compound's four buildings were to be destroyed and demand that everyone inside step out. Hundreds of police officers and fugitives emerged from
15946-991: Was born. The Gospel of Matthew mentions Bethlehem as the place of birth, and adds that King Herod was told that a 'King of the Jews' had been born in the town, prompting Herod to order the killing of all the boys who were two years old or under in the town and surrounding area. Joseph , warned of Herod's impending action by an angel of the Lord , decided to flee to Egypt with his family and then later settled in Nazareth after Herod's death. Operation Defensive Shield Inconclusive [REDACTED] Palestinian Authority [REDACTED] Israel Defense Forces [REDACTED] Palestinian National Security Forces [REDACTED] Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades [REDACTED] Tanzim [REDACTED] al-Qassam Brigades Lists Operation Defensive Shield ( Hebrew : מִבְצָע חוֹמַת מָגֵן Mīvtzāh Ḥōmat Māgēn )
16080-640: Was called in Ancient Greek : Βηθλεέμ Greek pronunciation: [bɛːtʰle.ém] and in Latin : Bethleem . In Aramaic, the name of Bethlehem was simply the Hebrew name בית לחם, and was pronounced as Beit Lekhem. Evidence for this spelling can be inferred based on the fact that the spelling ܒܝܬܠܚܡ can be found in the Syriac Aramaic version of the bible in Matthew 2 as well as other parts of
16214-428: Was clearly impossible. The IDF slowly advanced into the city, encountering fierce resistance. Most of the fighting was conducted by infantry fighting house-to-house, while armored bulldozers were used to clear away booby traps and IEDs. Air support was limited to helicopter gunships firing wire-guided missiles. Palestinian commander Mahmoud Tawalbe was killed during the battle. According to a British military expert, he
16348-573: Was crushed, the Roman emperor Hadrian converted the Christian site above the Grotto into a shrine dedicated to the Greek god Adonis , to honour his favourite, the Greek youth Antinous . Around 395 CE, Jerome wrote in a letter: "Bethlehem... belonging now to us... was overshadowed by a grove of Tammuz , that is to say, Adonis, and in the cave where once the infant Christ cried, the lover of Venus
16482-523: Was estimated to have held over 8,000 Palestinian militants, in addition to Palestinian security forces . Israeli forces quickly occupied most of the city. Clashes took place around refugee camps, and Israeli attack helicopters fired rockets at Palestinian positions in the main square and neighboring streets. The main attack focused on the Nablus Casbah. The Golani Brigade entered the Casbah, engaging
16616-419: Was found that this caused the boy's death. The officer was found guilty of illegal use of a weapon and sentenced to 5 months imprisonment, two of them actually in prison doing public service. He was also demoted. On December 21, 1995, Israeli troops withdrew from Bethlehem, and three days later the city came under the administration and military control of the Palestinian National Authority in accordance with
16750-526: Was hiding in the cave of Adullam . Writing in the 4th century, the Pilgrim of Bordeaux reported that the sepulchers of David, Ezekiel , Asaph , Job , Jesse , and Solomon were located near Bethlehem. The Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke represent Jesus as having been born in Bethlehem, known in Aramaic by the Hebrew name בית לחם ( Beit Lekhem ). However, modern scholars regard
16884-531: Was introduced in 1977. The grapes are primarily harvested from the al-Khader area. Only 2% of the wine production (around 700,000 litres per year) is made from Cremisan's own grapes. The rest comes mainly from Beit Jala , Beit Shemesh , and the Hebron area. In 2006 the Israeli military authorities issued an order envisaging the creation of a separation barrier which would have confiscated some 3,000 dunams of private local farming terrain and also Catholic church property by enclosing both parts of Beit Jala , and
17018-401: Was killed by an Israeli bulldozer, while the Palestinians claimed that blew himself up to collapse a house on Israeli soldiers. On the third day of operations, an IDF unit wandered into a Palestinian ambush. Thirteen Israeli soldiers were killed and three of the bodies were captured before a Shayetet 13 naval commando unit could retrieve them. After the ambush, the Israeli military developed
17152-438: Was lamented." Many scholars have taken this letter as evidence that the cave of the nativity over which the Church of the Nativity was later built had at one point been a shrine to the ancient Near Eastern fertility god Tammuz. Eusebius, however, mentions nothing about the cave having been associated with Tammuz and there are no other Patristic sources that suggest Tammuz had a shrine in Bethlehem. Peter Welten has argued that
17286-590: Was part of Mandatory Palestine from 1920 to 1948. In the United Nations General Assembly 's 1947 resolution to partition Palestine , Bethlehem was included in the international enclave of Jerusalem to be administered by the United Nations . Jordan captured the city during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War . Many refugees from areas captured by Israeli forces in 1947–48 fled to the Bethlehem area, primarily settling in what became
17420-532: Was part of Mandatory Palestine until 1948, and later of the West Bank that was annexed by Jordan following the 1948 Arab–Israeli War . During the 1967 Six Day War , Bethlehem was occupied by Israel along with the rest of the West Bank. Since the Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestinian National Authority , Bethlehem has been designated as part of Area A of the West Bank , nominally rendering it as being under Palestinian control . Movement around
17554-524: Was prominent in the early church. Around 155, the apologist Justin Martyr recommended that those who doubted Jesus was really born in Bethlehem could go there and visit the very cave where he was supposed to have been born. The same cave is also referenced by the apocryphal Gospel of James and the fourth-century church historian Eusebius . After the Bar Kokhba revolt ( c. 132–136 CE )
17688-562: Was subdivided into seven quarters. The Basbus family served as the heads of Bethlehem among other leaders during this period. The Ottoman tax record and census from 1596 indicates that Bethlehem had a population of 1,435, making it the 13th largest village in Palestine at the time. Its total revenue amounted to 30,000 akce . Bethlehem paid taxes on wheat, barley and grapes. The Muslims and Christians were organized into separate communities, each having its own leader. Five leaders represented
17822-403: Was then placed under a tight curfew as soldiers conducted searches and made arrests. The IDF arrested more than 700 people, among them Marwan Barghouti , a top Palestinian militant leader suspected of directing numerous suicide bombings and other attacks against Israelis. Barghouti was later tried in Israel and sentenced to life imprisonment. The day after Marwan Barghouti's arrest, Taleb Barghouti
17956-892: Was used." The Israeli–Palestinian conflict escalated during the Second Intifada . In January and February 2002, 71 people were killed on all sides during attacks from Palestinian terrorists and the Israeli army. March and April 2002 saw a dramatic increase in attacks against Israelis by Palestinian militants such as Hamas , Islamic Jihad and the Fatah -affiliated Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades . In addition to numerous shooting and grenade attacks, fifteen suicide bombings were carried out in March, an average of one suicide bombing every two days. March 2002 became known in Israel as "Black March". The large number of attacks severely disrupted daily life in Israel. The first wave of Israeli incursions took place between 27 February and 14 March. Following nine attacks by Palestinian militants between March 2–5,
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