Bethlehem
A neighborhood in Bethlehem
Arabic	بيت لحم
Name Meaning	house of meat (Arabic); house of bread (Hebrew)
Government	City (from 1995)
Also Spelled	Beit Lahm[1] (officially) Bayt Laham (unofficially)
Governorate	Bethlehem
Coordinates	31°42′11″N 35°11′44″E / 31.70306, 35.19556Coordinates: 31°42′11″N 35°11′44″E / 31.70306, 35.19556
Population	29,930[1] (2006)
Jurisdiction	dunams
Head of Municipality	Victor Batarseh

Bethlehem (Arabic: بيت لحم‎, Bayt Laḥm (help·info), lit "House of Meat"; Greek: Βηθλεέμ Bethleém; Hebrew: בית לחם‎, Beit Lehem, lit "House of Bread") is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank, approximately 10 kilometers (6 mi) south of Jerusalem, with a population of about 30,000 people. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language The following is a list of cities in Palestinian National Authority administrated areas, although depending on which particular area each locality is located After the signing of the Oslo Accords, the Palestinian territories were divided into three areas (Area A Area B and Area C and 16 Governorates under the jurisdiction The Bethlehem Governorate ( محافظة بيت لحم) is one of 16 Governorates of the West Bank and Gaza Strip within the Palestinian Territories. A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. A dunam or dönüm, dunum, donum is a unit of Area used in the Ottoman Empire and still used in various standardized versions Victor Batarseh ( Arabic, فيكتور بطارسة) (b 1935 is the Mayor of Bethlehem in the West Bank in the Palestinian territories Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly Palestinian people or Palestinians ( الشعب الفلسطيني, ash-sha`b al-filasTīni; الفلسطينيون, al-filasTīnīyyūn The West Bank (الضفة الغربية, הגדה המערבית Hagadah Hamaaravit) also referred to in Israel as " Judea and Samaria Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the It is the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate of the Palestinian National Authority and a hub of Palestinian culture and tourism. The Bethlehem Governorate ( محافظة بيت لحم) is one of 16 Governorates of the West Bank and Gaza Strip within the Palestinian Territories. ^[2][3]

According to the New Testament, Bethlehem is the birthplace of Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) Nazareth (ˈnæzərəθ (נָצְרַת Hebrew Natz'rat or Natzeret, الناصرة an-Nāṣira or an-Naseriyye) is the capital and largest The town is inhabited by one of the oldest Christian communities in the world, though the size of the community has shrunk in recent years due to emigration. ^[4] The city is also believed to be the birthplace of David and the location where he was crowned as the king of Israel. David, Arabic: داوود or داود dawud, "beloved" was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible The city was sacked by the Samaritans in 529 AD, during their revolt, but was rebuilt by the Byzantine emperor Justinian I. Flavius Petrus Sabbatius Iustinianus ( Greek: Φλάβιος Πέτρος Σαββάτιος Ιουστινιανός; known in English as Justinian I or Bethlehem was conquered by the Arab Caliphate of 'Umar ibn al-Khattāb in 637, who guaranteed safety for the city's religious shrines. The Rightly Guided Caliphs or The Righteous Caliphs ( ar الخلفاء الراشدون) is a term used in Sunni Islam to refer to the first Umar (a=عمر بن الخطاب|t=`Umar ibn al-Khattāb c 581-83 CE &ndash 7 November, 644) also known as Umar the Great or Omar the Great In 1099, Crusaders captured and fortified Bethlehem and replaced its Greek Orthodox clergy with a Latin one. The Greek Orthodox Church ( Greek: Ἑλληνορθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία Hellēnorthódoxē Ekklēsía) is formed by several autocephalous churches The Latin clergy were expelled after the city was captured by Saladin, the sultan of Egypt and Syria. Salahadin Ayyubi ( Arabic:صلاح الدين يوسف بن أيوب Kurdish: سه‌لاحه‌دین ئه‌یوبی Selah'edînê Eyubî; c Sultan (سلطان is an Islamic title with several historical meanings This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية With the coming of the Mamluks in 1250, the city's walls were demolished, and were subsequently rebuilt during the rule of the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish ^[5]

The Ottomans lost the city to the British during World War I and it was to be included in an international zone under the 1947 United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Corpus separatum is Latin for "separated body" The 1947 UN Partition Plan used this term to refer to a proposed internationally administered zone to include The United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine or United Nations General Assembly Resolution 181 was a plan approved by the General Assembly on November 29 Jordan occupied the city in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, and it was subsequently occupied by Israel in the 1967 Six Day War. Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (الأردنّ al-Urdunn) is an Arab country in Southwest Asia spanning the southern For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. Background Suez Crisis aftermath The Suez Crisis of 1956 represented a military defeat but a political victory for Egypt Israel has retained control over the entrances and exits to Bethlehem, though day-to-day administration has been under the purview of the Palestinian National Authority since 1995. ^[5]

Modern Bethlehem has a Muslim majority but is also home to one of the largest Palestinian Christian communities. A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion The Palestinian Christians are Palestinians who follow Christianity. ^[4] The Bethlehem agglomeration includes the towns of Beit Jala and Beit Sahour, as well as the refugee camps of 'Aida and Beit Jibrin. In the study of human settlements an agglomeration is an extended City or Town area comprising the built-up area of a central place ( usually a Municipality Beit Jala ( Arabic: (lit Aramaic 'grass carpet' is a Arab Christian town in the Bethlehem Governorate of the West Bank. Beit Sahour (بيت ساحور pronounced) is a Palestinian town administered by the Palestinian Authority, situated to the east of Bethlehem. Palestinian Refugee camps were established after the 1948 Arab-Israeli War to accommodate Palestinian refugees who fled from the war Aida ( عيده) (also spelled ' Ayda) is a Palestinian refugee camp situated 2 kilometers North of Bethlehem and 1 kilometer North of Beit Bayt Jibrin (بيت جبرين also Beit Jibrin) was a Palestinian Arab village located northwest of the city of Hebron. Bethlehem's dominant economic sector is tourism which is particularly high during the Christmas season as the city is a Christian pilgrimage center, being home of the Church of the Nativity. Church_of_the_nativity_bethjpg|thumb|200px|View of The Church of the Nativity from Manger Square]]The Church of the Nativity ( كنيسة المهد) in Bethlehem Bethlehem has over thirty hotels and three hundred handicraft work shops, employing several of the city's residents. ^[6] Rachel's Tomb, an important Jewish holy site, is located at the entrance of Bethlehem. Rachel's Tomb ( Hebrew: קבר רחל Arabic: translit Qubbat Rakhil, trans

Contents 1 History 1.1 Biblical era 1.2 Birthplace of Jesus 1.3 Roman and Byzantine periods 1.4 Islamic rule and the Crusades 1.5 Ottoman and Egyptian era 1.6 Twentieth century 1.7 Second Intifada 2 Geography 2.1 Old city 3 Climate 4 Demographics 4.1 Population 4.2 Christian population 5 Economy 5.1 Shopping and industry 5.2 Tourism 5.3 Economic conference 6 Culture 6.1 Embroidery 6.2 Museums 6.3 Cultural centers 6.4 Christmas celebrations 7 Government 7.1 Mayors 8 Education 9 Transportation 9.1 Bus service 9.2 Movement restrictions 10 Sister cities 11 References 12 See also 13 External links

History

Biblical era

Bethlehem, located in the "hill country" of Judah, may be the same as the Biblical Ephrath,^[7] which means "fertile": There is a possible reference to it as Beth-Lehem Ephratah. Judea is a term used for the mountainous southern part of the historic Land of Israel. Ephrath or Ephratah ( Hebrew: אפרת\ה is the name of a Biblical place or tribe ^[8] It is also known as Beth-Lehem Judah,^[9] and "the city of David". ^[10] It is first mentioned in the Tanakh and the Bible as the place where the Abrahamic matriarch Rachel died and was buried "by the wayside" (Gen. Rachel (; meaning "ewe" is the second and favorite Wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin, first mentioned in the 48:7). Rachel's Tomb, the traditional grave site, stands at the entrance to Bethlehem. Rachel's Tomb ( Hebrew: קבר רחל Arabic: translit Qubbat Rakhil, trans 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. This article is about the ancient Hebrew religious text For the 20th-century English-language novel see The Book of Ruth (novel The Book of Ruth Moab (; Greek Μωάβ; Arabic مؤاب, Assyrian Mu'aba, Ma'ba, Ma'ab; Egyptian Naomi ( נָעֳמִי "Pleasantagreeable" Standard Hebrew Naʿomi, Tiberian Hebrew Noʿŏmî) is Ruth 's mother-in-law Bethlehem is the traditional birthplace of David, the second king of Israel, and the place where he was anointed king by Samuel. David, Arabic: داوود or داود dawud, "beloved" was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible For other uses see Israel (disambiguation The Land of Israel ( Hebrew: אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל Eretz Yisrael) is Samuel ( Hebrew: שְׁמוּאֵל, Standard Šəmuʼel Tiberian Šəmûʼēl) is an important ^[11] It was from the well of Bethlehem that three of his warriors brought him water when he was hiding in the cave of Adullam. Adullam is a town referred to in the Hebrew Bible. It was one of the royal cities of the Canaanites ( Joshua 1215 1535 ^[12]

Birthplace of Jesus

Further information: Church of the Nativity and Nativity of Jesus

Two accounts in the New Testament describe Jesus as born in Bethlehem. Church_of_the_nativity_bethjpg|thumb|200px|View of The Church of the Nativity from Manger Square]]The Church of the Nativity ( كنيسة المهد) in Bethlehem For depictions in painting and sculpture see Nativity of Jesus in art. Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) According to the Gospel of Luke,^[10] Jesus's parents lived in Nazareth but traveled to Bethlehem for the census of 6 AD, and Jesus was born there before the family returned to Nazareth. The Gospel of Luke (Gk Κατά Λουκάν Ευαγγέλιον) is a synoptic Gospel, and is the third and longest of the four canonical Gospels of the Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) Nazareth (ˈnæzərəθ (נָצְרַת Hebrew Natz'rat or Natzeret, الناصرة an-Nāṣira or an-Naseriyye) is the capital and largest The Census of Quirinius refers to a historical enrollment of the Roman Provinces of Syria and Iudaea for the purpose of taxation taken during the reign of

The Gospel of Matthew account implies that the family already lived in Bethlehem when Jesus was born, and later moved to Nazareth. The Gospel of Matthew (Gk Κατά Ματθαίον Ευαγγέλιον is one of the four Canonical gospels in the New Testament and is a Synoptic gospel ^[13][14] Matthew reports that Herod the Great, told that a 'King of the Jews' has been born in Bethlehem, ordered the killing of all the children aged two and under in the town and surrounding areas. Herod (הוֹרְדוֹס Horodos, Greek: Herōdes) also known as Herod I or Herod the Great (73 BC – 4 BC in Jericho Jesus's earthly father Joseph is warned of this in a dream, and the family escapes this fate by fleeing to Egypt and returning only after Herod has died. Joseph or Yosef (יוֹסֵ Standard Yosef Tiberian Yôsēp̄, يوسف Yusuf; "He But being warned in another dream not to return to Judea, Joseph withdraws the family to Galilee, and goes to live in Nazareth

Early Christians interpreted a verse in the Book of Micah^[15] as a prophecy of the birth of the Messiah in Bethlehem. "Galil" redirects here For the weapon see IMI Galil. Galilee (הגליל ha-Galil, lit the province, The Book of Micah (Hebrew ספר מיכה is one of the books of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament, traditionally attributed to Micah the This article is about the concept of a Messiah in religion notably in the Christian Islamic and Jewish traditions ^[16] Many modern scholars question whether Jesus was really born in Bethlehem, and suggest that the different Gospel accounts were invented to present the birth of Jesus as fulfillment of prophecy and imply a connection to the lineage of King David. ^[17][18] The Gospel of Mark and the Gospel of John do not include a nativity narrative or any hint that Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Content Authorship The gospel itself is anonymous but as early as Papias in the early 2nd century a text was attributed to Mark, a cousin The Gospel of John (literally According to John; Greek, Κατὰ Ἰωάννην Kata Iōannēn) is the fourth Gospel in the canon ^[19] In a 2005 article in Archaeology magazine, archaeologist Aviram Oshri pointed to the absence of evidence of settlement of the area at the time when Jesus was born. Archaeology is a Bimonthly mainstream magazine about Archaeology, published by the Archaeological Institute of America; the editors estimate ^[20]

Roman and Byzantine periods

Between 132-135 the city was occupied by the Romans after its capture during the Bar Kokhba Revolt. Background After the failed Great Jewish Revolt in the year 70 the Roman authorities took measures to suppress the rebellious province Its Jewish residents were expelled by the military orders of Hadrian. Publius Aelius Hadrianus (January 24 76 &ndash July 10 138 as emperor Imperator Caesar Divi Traiani filius Traianus Hadrianus Augustus, and Divus Hadrianus after ^[21] While ruling Bethlehem, the Romans built a shrine to the mythical Greek cult figure Adonis on the site of the Nativity. The term ancient Greece refers to the period of Greek history lasting from the Greek Dark Ages ca Adonis (Άδωνης also Άδωνις is a figure of West Semitic origin where he is a central cult figure in various Mystery religions, who enters A church was erected in 326, when Helena, the mother of the first Byzantine emperor Constantine, visited Bethlehem. Saint Helena (Flavia Iulia Helena Augusta also known as Saint Helen, Helena Augusta or Helena of Constantinople (c Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus (27 February ca. 272 &ndash 22 May 337 commonly known as Constantine I, Constantine the Great, or Saint Constantine ^[5]

During the Samaritan revolt of 529, Bethlehem was sacked and its walls and the Church of the Nativity destroyed, but they were soon rebuilt on the orders of the Emperor Justinian I. Flavius Petrus Sabbatius Iustinianus ( Greek: Φλάβιος Πέτρος Σαββάτιος Ιουστινιανός; known in English as Justinian I or In 614, the Persian Sassanid Empire invaded Palestine and captured Bethlehem. The Sassanid Empire or Sassanian Dynasty or Sassanian Dynasty (ساسانیان) is the name used for the third Iranian dynasty and the second Persian empire Palestine is a name which has been widely used since Roman times to refer to the region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. 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. The Magi (singular Magus, from Latin via Greek μάγος; Old English: Mage; from Persian maguš and Kurdish The Iranian cultural region - consisting of the modern nations of Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and ^[5]

Islamic rule and the Crusades

In 637, shortly after Jerusalem was captured by the Muslim armies, 'Umar ibn al-Khattāb, the second Caliph visited Bethlehem and promised that the Church of the Nativity would be preserved for Christian use. Jerusalem was conquered by Rashidun Caliphate army in 637 CE during the Islamic invasion of Byzantine empire shortly after decisively defeating The Rashidun Caliphate Army or Rashidun army was the primary military body of the Rashidun Caliphate 's Armed forces during the Muslim Umar (a=عمر بن الخطاب|t=`Umar ibn al-Khattāb c 581-83 CE &ndash 7 November, 644) also known as Umar the Great or Omar the Great The Caliph is the Head of state in a Caliphate, and the title for the leader of the Islamic Ummah, an Islamic community ruled by the Shari'ah ^[5] A mosque dedicated to Umar was built upon the place in the city where he prayed, next to the church. The Mosque of Omar (مسجد عمر is the oldest and only Mosque in the city of Bethlehem, located in Manger Square, near the Church of the ^[22] Bethlehem then passed from the control of the Islamic caliphates of the Rashidun, the Ummayads, Abbasids and the Fatimids. The Rightly Guided Caliphs or The Righteous Caliphs ( ar الخلفاء الراشدون) is a term used in Sunni Islam to refer to the first In 1009, during the reign of the sixth Fatimid Caliph al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, the Church of the Nativity was demolished under his orders. Tāriqu l-Ḥākim, called bi Amr al-Lāh ( Arabic: الحاكم بأمر الله; literally "Ruler by God's Command" was the sixth Fatimid It was soon rebuilt by his successor Ali az-Zahir to mend relations between the Fatimids and the Byzantine Empire. For the Abbasid Caliph see Az-Zahir. ˤAlī az-Zāhir ( 20 June 1005 &ndash 13 June 1036) ^[23]

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 First Crusade was launched in 1095 by Pope Urban II with the dual goals of conquering the sacred city of Jerusalem and the Holy Land and freeing The Greek Orthodox clergy were removed from their Sees and replaced with Latin clerics. The Greek Orthodox Church ( Greek: Ἑλληνορθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία Hellēnorthódoxē Ekklēsía) is formed by several autocephalous churches Up until that point the official Christian presence in the region was Greek Orthodox. On Christmas Day 1100 Baldwin I, first king of the Frankish Kingdom of Jerusalem, was crowned in Bethlehem, and that year a Latin episcopate was also established in the town. Baldwin I of Jerusalem, formerly Baldwin I of Edessa, born Baldwin of Boulogne (French Baudouin de Boulogne 1058? - April 2, 1118, was This article is about the Christian kingdom For the history of the city see History of Jerusalem The Kingdom of Jerusalem was a Christian ^[5]

In 1187, Saladin, the Sultan of Egypt and Syria who led the Muslim Ayyubids, captured Bethlehem from the Crusaders. Salahadin Ayyubi ( Arabic:صلاح الدين يوسف بن أيوب Kurdish: سه‌لاحه‌دین ئه‌یوبی Selah'edînê Eyubî; c This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية The Ayyubid or Ayyoubid Dynasty was a Muslim dynasty of Kurdish origins which ruled Egypt, Syria, Yemen (except for 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 the loss of the pilgrim trade, as there was a sharp decrease of European pilgrims. ^[5]

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. William IV Count of Nevers, (c 1130 - Acre, 24 October, 1168) Count of Nevers, Auxerre and Tonnerre (1161-1168 Clamecy is a commune of the Nièvre département, in France. General Description Clamecy is the capital of an arrondissement Burgundy (Bourgogne Burgund is a region historically situated in modern-day France and Switzerland, inhabited in turn by Celts ( Gauls) This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. As such, The Bishop of Bethlehem duly took up residence in the hospital of Panthenor, Clamecy in 1223. Clamecy remained the continuous 'in partibus infidelium' seat of the Bishopric of Bethlehem for almost 600 years, until the French Revolution in 1789. In Partibus Infidelium (often shortened to in partibus, or abbreviated as i The French Revolution (1789–1799 was a period of political and social upheaval in the History of France, during which the French governmental structure previously an ^[24]

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 the Crusaders. Nazareth (ˈnæzərəθ (נָצְרַת Hebrew Natz'rat or Natzeret, الناصرة an-Nāṣira or an-Naseriyye) is the capital and largest Sidon,or Saïda, ( Arabic ar صيدا; Phoenician phoenician yodh This article is about the Christian kingdom For the history of the city see History of Jerusalem The Kingdom of Jerusalem was a Christian The Holy Roman Empire ( HRE; German Heiliges Römisches Reich (HRR, Latin Sacrum Romanum Imperium (SRI was a union of territories in Frederick II ( December 26, 1194 &ndash December 13, 1250) of the Hohenstaufen dynasty was a Pretender to the title Al-Kamil (الكامل ( epithet: al-Malik al-Kamel Naser al-Din Abu al-Ma'ali Muhammed) (1180-1238 was an Ayyubid Sultan of Kurdish The treaty expired in 1239 and Bethlehem was recaptured by the Muslims in 1244. ^[25]

In 1250, with the coming to power of the Mamluks under Rukn al-Din Baibars, tolerance of Christianity declined; the clergies left the city, and in 1263 the town walls were demolished. Baibars, or al-Malik al-Zahir Rukn al-Din Baybars al-Bunduqdari ( Arabic ar الملك‭ ‬الظاهر‭ ‬ركن‭ ‬الدين‭ ‬بيبرس‭ ‬البندقداري The Latin clergy returned to Bethlehem the following century, establishing themselves in the monastery adjoining 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. The Armenian Apostolic Church (Հայաստանեայց Առաքելական Եկեղեցի Hayasdaneaytz Arakelagan ^[5]

Ottoman and Egyptian era

From 1517, during the years of Ottoman control, custody of the Basilica was bitterly disputed between the Catholic and Greek Orthodox churches. The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish ^[5] From 1831 to 1841, Palestine was under the rule Muhammad Ali Dynasty of Egypt. The Muhammad Ali Dynasty (أسرة محمد علي Usrat Muhammad 'Ali) was the ruling dynasty of This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. During this period, the town suffered an earthquake as well as the destruction of the Muslim quarter by Egyptian troops, apparently as a reprisal for the murder of a favored loyalist of Ibrahim Pasha. Ibrahim Basha (إبراهيم باشا ‎ (1789 &ndash November 10 1848) a 19th century general of Egypt.

In 1841, Bethlehem came under Ottoman rule once more and remained so until the end of the World War I. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Under the Ottomans, Bethlehem's inhabitants faced unemployment, compulsory military service and heavy taxes, resulting in mass emigration particularly to South America. Conscription (also known as the draft, the call-up or national service) is a general term for involuntary labor demanded by some established authority South America is a Continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a ^[5]

Twentieth century

As a result of their victory in World War I, the Allies, particularly Britain and France, divided the captured Ottoman provinces into mandates. On September 29, 1923 Bethlehem and the majority of the territory west of the Jordan River fell under the control of the British Mandate of Palestine. Events 522 BC - Darius I of Persia kills the Magian usurper Gaumâta securing his hold as king of the Persian Empire. Year 1923 ( MCMXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Palestine Mandate, was a set of protocols or articles that formed a multilateral legal and administrative agreement In the United Nations General Assembly's 1947 resolution to partition Palestine, Bethlehem was included in the special international enclave of Jerusalem to be administered by the United Nations. Membership For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly see General Assembly members The United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine or United Nations General Assembly Resolution 181 was a plan approved by the General Assembly on November 29 Corpus separatum is Latin for "separated body" The 1947 UN Partition Plan used this term to refer to a proposed internationally administered zone to include The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security ^[26]

Jordan occupied the city during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (الأردنّ al-Urdunn) is an Arab country in Southwest Asia spanning the southern ^[27] Many refugees from areas captured by Israeli forces in 1947-48 fled to the Bethlehem area, primarily settling in the what became the official refugee camps of Beit Jibrin (or al-'Azza) and 'Aida in the north and Dheisheh in the south. Bayt Jibrin (بيت جبرين also Beit Jibrin) was a Palestinian Arab village located northwest of the city of Hebron. Aida ( عيده) (also spelled ' Ayda) is a Palestinian refugee camp situated 2 kilometers North of Bethlehem and 1 kilometer North of Beit Dheisheh Refugee Camp (مخيم ال دهيشة is a Palestinian refugee camps located just south of Bethlehem in the West Bank. ^[28] The influx of refugees significantly transformed Bethlehem's Christian majority into a Muslim one. ^[29]

Jordan retained control of the city until the Six-Day War in 1967, when Bethlehem was occupied by Israel, along with the rest of the West Bank. Background Suez Crisis aftermath The Suez Crisis of 1956 represented a military defeat but a political victory for Egypt The West Bank (الضفة الغربية, הגדה המערבית Hagadah Hamaaravit) also referred to in Israel as " Judea and Samaria On December 21, 1995, Israeli troops withdrew from Bethlehem,^[30] and three days later the city came under the complete administration and military control of the Palestinian National Authority in conformance with the Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip in 1995. Events 69 - The end of the Year of the four emperors: Following Galba, Otho and Vitellius, Vespasian Year 1995 ( MCMXCV) was a Common year starting on Sunday. Events of 1995 Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip or Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement, or simply the Interim Agreement, also known as Oslo 2 (or ^[31]

Second Intifada

During the Second Palestinian Intifada, which began in 2000-01, Bethlehem's infrastructure and tourism industry was severely damaged. The Israel Defense Forces ( IDF) (צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, lit ^[32][33] In 2002, it was a primary combat zone in Operation Defensive Shield, a major military offensive by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), in response to numerous Palestinian suicide bombings in Israel. Background March and April 2002 saw a dramatic increase of Suicide bomb attacks against Israelis by Palestinian militant groups such as Hamas, The Israel Defense Forces ( IDF) (צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, lit For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. ^[34]

During the operation, the IDF besieged the Church of the Nativity, where about 200 Palestinians, including a group of militants, sought refuge amid IDF advancements into the city. The Siege of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem lasted from April 2 to May 10 2002 in Bethlehem in the West Bank. The siege lasted for thirty nine days and nine militants and the church's bellringer were killed. It ended with an agreement to exile thirteen of the wanted militants to various European nations and Mauritania. Mauritania (موريتانيا Mūrītāniyā officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a country Pope John Paul II condemned Israel's actions, describing them as reaching "unimaginable and intolerable" levels and the United Kingdom's foreign ministry stated they were "totally unacceptable". Pope ^[34]

Geography

Bethlehem stands at an elevation of about 775 meters (2,543 ft) above sea level, 30 meters (98 ft) higher than nearby Jerusalem. Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the ^[35] Bethlehem is situated on the southern portion in the Judean Mountains. The Judean Mountains, (جبال الخليل Transliteration: Jibal al-Khalil, הרי יהודה Transliteration: Harei Yehuda)

The city is located 73 kilometers (45 mi) northeast of Gaza 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. Gaza (غزة, עַזָּה ʕazzā is the largest city in the Gaza Strip and the Palestinian territories. Amman (ɑˈmɑːn sometimes spelled Ammann ( Arabic عمان ʿAmmān) is the Capital city of the Hashemite Kingdom Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (الأردنّ al-Urdunn) is an Arab country in Southwest Asia spanning the southern Tel Aviv-Yafo (תֵּל ־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ تل أبيب Tal ʾAbīb) (usually Tel Aviv) is the second-largest city in Israel For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. ^[36] Nearby cities and towns include Beit Safafa and Jerusalem to the north, Beit Jala to the northwest, Husan to the west, al-Khadr and Artas to the southwest, and Beit Sahour to the east. Beit Safafa (بيت صفافا בית צפאפא is an Arab neighborhood in southeastern Jerusalem midway between Patt and Gilo, on the outskirts of Beit Jala ( Arabic: (lit Aramaic 'grass carpet' is a Arab Christian town in the Bethlehem Governorate of the West Bank. Husan (حوسان is a Palestinian town located north of the Gush Etzion Regional Council, nine kilometers west of the city of Bethlehem in the Bethlehem Beit Sahour (بيت ساحور pronounced) is a Palestinian town administered by the Palestinian Authority, situated to the east of Bethlehem. Beit Jala and the latter form an agglomeration with Bethlehem and the Aida and Beit Jibrin refugee camps are located within the city limits. Aida ( عيده) (also spelled ' Ayda) is a Palestinian refugee camp situated 2 kilometers North of Bethlehem and 1 kilometer North of Beit Bayt Jibrin (بيت جبرين also Beit Jibrin) was a Palestinian Arab village located northwest of the city of Hebron. ^[37]

Old city

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 al-Najajreh, al-Farahiyeh, al-Anatreh, al-Tarajmeh, al-Qawawsa and Hreizat quarters and al-Fawaghreh — the only Muslim quarter. ^[38] Most of the Christian quarters are named after the Arab Ghassanid clans that settled there. ^[39] Al-Qawawsa Quarter was formed by Arab Christian emigrants from the nearby town of Tuqu' in the 18th century. Tuquʿ (تقوع תקוע is a Palestinian town in the Bethlehem Governorate, located 12 km southeast of Bethlehem in the West Bank ^[40] There is also a Syriac quarter outside of the old city,^[38] whose inhabitants originate from Midyat in Kurdistan. See Syriac (disambiguation for other uses Syriac (syr ܠܫܢܐ ܣܘܪܝܝܐ leššānā Suryāyā) is an Eastern Aramaic language Midyat ( Turoyo / Aramaic: ܡܕܝܕ Mëḏyaḏ, Arabic: Midyad) is a district of Mardin Province History See also History of the Kurdish people Ancient period See also Hurrians, Guti, Mannaeans, Medes ^[41] The total population of the old city is about 5,000. ^[38]

Climate

Bethlehem has a Mediterranean climate, with hot and dry summers and cold winters. A Mediterranean climate is one that resembles the Climate of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, which includes over half of the area with this climate type world-wide Temperatures in the winter season, from mid-December to mid-March, could be cold 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 27 degrees Celsius (81°–63 °F). Bethlehem receives an average of 700 millimeters (27. 6 in) of rainfall annually, 70% between November and January. ^[42]

Bethlehem's average annual relative humidity is 60% and reaches its highest rates between January and February. Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air In daily language the term "humidity" is normally taken to mean Relative humidity. 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 that originate from the Arabian Desert, during April, May and mid-June. The Arabian Desert is a vast Desert wilderness stretching from Yemen to the Persian Gulf and Oman to Jordan and Iraq. ^[42]

Demographics

Population

Year	Population
1945	8,820[43]
1961	22,450
1983	16,300[44]
1997	21,930[45]
2004 (Projected)	28,010
2005 (Projected)	29,020
2006 (Projected)	29,930

According to a PCBS estimate, Bethlehem had a population of 29,930 in mid-year 2006. ^[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. ^[45][46] In 1998, the religious makeup of the city was 67% Sunni Muslim and 33% Christian, mostly of the Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic denominations. Sunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. Sunni Islam is also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘h (Arabic A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth ^[47] In 2005, the total Christian population decreased to about 20%. ^[48] Despite Islam being Bethlehem's dominant religion, the only Muslim house of worship in the city is the Mosque of Omar located in the Manger Square. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. A "mosque" in English refers to all types of buildings dedicated for Islamic worship although there is a distinction in Arabic between the smaller privately owned mosque and the larger The Mosque of Omar (مسجد عمر is the oldest and only Mosque in the city of Bethlehem, located in Manger Square, near the Church of the ^[22]

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 20-29, 17. 7% from 30 to 44, 12. 1% from 45-64 and 5. 3% above the age of 65. There were 11,079 males and 10,594 females. ^[45]

Christian population

See also: Palestinian Christian

The majority of Bethlehem's Christian inhabitants claim ancestry from Arab Christian clans from the Arabian Peninsula, including the city's two largest: al-Farahiyya and an-Najajreh. The Palestinian Christians are Palestinians who follow Christianity. The Arabian Peninsula (in Arabic: شبه الجزيرة العربية šibh al-jazīra al-ʻarabīya or جزيرة العرب jazīrat al-ʻarab) The former claims to have descended from the Ghassanids who migrated from Yemen to the Wadi Musa area in present-day Jordan and an-Najajreh descend from the Arabs of Najran in the southern Hejaz. Yemen ( Arabic: اليَمَن al-Yaman officially the Republic of Yemen ( Arabic: الجمهورية اليمنية al-Jumhuuriyya Wadi Musa, ("وادي موسى" in Arabic translated as "Valley of Moses " is the name of a town located in the Aqaba Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (الأردنّ al-Urdunn) is an Arab country in Southwest Asia spanning the southern Najran (formerly Aba as Sa'ud) (نجران is a city in southwestern Saudi Arabia near the frontier with Yemen. al-Hejaz (also Hijaz, Hedjaz; الحجاز al-Ḥiǧāz, literally "the barrier" is a region in the west of present-day Saudi Arabia Another Bethlehem clan, al-Anantreh, also trace their ancestry to the Arabian Peninsula. ^[49]

The percentage of Christians in Bethlehem has been steadily falling, primarily due to continuous emigration. The lower birth rate among Christians as compared to Muslims also accounts for some of the decline. In 1947, Christians made up 75% of the population, but by 1998 this figure had dropped to 33%. ^[47] The current mayor of Bethlehem, Dr. Victor Batarseh told the Voice of America 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 a minority. Victor Batarseh ( Arabic, فيكتور بطارسة) (b 1935 is the Mayor of Bethlehem in the West Bank in the Palestinian territories Voice of America ( VOA) is the official external radio and Television broadcasting service of the United States federal government. "^[50]

Palestinian Authority rule following the Interim Agreements is officially committed to equality for Bethlehem area Christians, although there have been a few incidents of violence against them by the Preventive Security Service and militant factions. The Preventive Security Service ( الأمن الوقائي) is the official security apparatus of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA ^[51] The outbreak of the Second Intifada and the resultant decrease in tourism has also affected the Christian minority, leaving many economically stricken as they are the owners of many Bethlehem hotels and services which cater to foreign tourists. ^[4] A statistical analysis of why Christians are leaving the area blamed the lack of economic and educational opportunities, especially due to the Christians' middle-class status and higher education. ^[52]

A 2006 poll of Bethlehem's Christians conducted by the Palestinian Centre for Research and Cultural Dialogue, found that 90% reported having Muslim friends, 73. 3% agreed that the Palestinian National Authority treats Christian heritage in the city with respect and 78% attributed the ongoing exodus of Christians from Bethlehem to the Israeli travel restrictions in the area. ^[53]

The Hamas government's official position has been to support the city's Christian population, though the party has been criticized by some anonymous residents for increasing the Islamic presence in the city by, for example, activating the call to prayer at a previously unused local mosque in a Christian neighborhood. Ḥamas (ar حركة حماس acronym ar حركة المقاومة Under Hamas, the Christian population has continued to suffer from a lack of law and order which has left it susceptible to land theft by local mafia who take advantage of ineffective courts and the perception that the Christian population is less likely to stand up for itself. ^[54][55][56]

Economy

Shopping and industry

Shopping is a major sector in Bethlehem, especially during the Christmas season. The city's main streets and old markets are lined with shops selling handicrafts, Middle Eastern spices, jewelry and oriental sweets such as baklawa. The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. Baklava is a rich sweet Pastry featured in many Cuisines of the former Ottoman, Arab, and Iranian countries ^[57]

The tradition of making handicrafts in the city dates back to its founding. Palestinian handicrafts are Handicrafts produced by Palestinian people. Numerous shops in Bethlehem sell olive wood carvings — for which the city is renowned — made from the local olive groves. ^[58] The carvings are the main product purchased by tourists visiting Bethlehem. ^[59] Religious handicrafts are also a major industry in Bethlehem, and some products include ornaments handmade from mother-of-pearl, as well as olive wood statues, boxes, and crosses. Nacre, also known as mother of pearl, is an organic-inorganic Composite material produced by some Mollusks as an inner shell layer ^[58] The art of creating mother-of-pearl handicrafts was introduced to Bethlehem by Franciscan friars from Damascus during the 14th century. Mother-of-Pearl carving has been a Bethlehem tradition since the art was introduced to the city by Franciscan Friars from Damascus The term Franciscan is commonly used to refer to members of Catholic A Friar is a member of one of the Mendicant orders. Friars and monks Friars differ from Monks in that they are called to a life of poverty in service Damascus ( دمشق,, also commonly known as الشام ash-Shām) is the capital and largest city of Syria. ^[59] Stone and marble-cutting, textiles, furniture and furnishings are other prevalent industries. Bethlehem also produces paints, plastics, synthetic rubber, pharmaceuticals, construction materials and food products, mainly pasta and confectionery. ^[60]

Bethlehem has a wine-producing company, Cremisan Wine, founded in 1885, that currently exports wine to several countries. The Cremisan Monastery is a Salesian Monastery on the border between Israel and the West Bank, near Beit Jala. The wine is produced by monks in the Monastery of Cremisan, and the majority of the grapes are harvested from the al-Khader area. The monastery’s wine production is around 700,000 liters per year. ^[61]

Tourism

Tourism is Bethlehem's primary industry and unlike other Palestinian localities before 2000, the majority of the working residents did not work in Israel. Church_of_the_nativity_bethjpg|thumb|200px|View of The Church of the Nativity from Manger Square]]The Church of the Nativity ( كنيسة المهد) in Bethlehem ^[32] Over 25% of the working population was employed directly or indirectly in the industry. ^[60] Tourism accounts for approximately 65% of the city's economy and 11% of the Palestinian National Authority. ^[62]

The Church of the Nativity is one of Bethlehem's major tourist attractions and a magnet for Christian pilgrims. Church_of_the_nativity_bethjpg|thumb|200px|View of The Church of the Nativity from Manger Square]]The Church of the Nativity ( كنيسة المهد) in Bethlehem 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 was born according to Christian tradition. Manger Square is an important city square in the center of Bethlehem. Nearby is the Milk Grotto where Jerome is said to have spent thirty years translating the Hebrew Scriptures into Latin. Jerome (c 347 – September 30, 420) ( Latin: Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus; Εὐσέβιος Σωφρόνιος Ἱερώνυμος The Vulgate is an early Fifth Century version of the Bible in Latin, and largely the result of the labours of Jerome, who was commissioned by ^[5]

There are over thirty hotels in Bethlehem. ^[6] Jacir Palace, built in 1910 near the church, is one of Bethlehem's most successful hotels and its oldest. Jacir Palace or Qasr Jacir (قصر جاسر is the largest hotel in Bethlehem in the central West Bank. It was closed down in 2000 due to the violence of the Second Intifada, but reopened in 2005. ^[63]

Economic conference

Bethlehem hosted the largest ever economic conference in the Palestinian territories on May 21, 2008. Events 878 - Syracuse Italy is captured by the Muslim sultan of Sicily. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common It was initiated by Palestinian Prime Minister and former Finance Minister Salam Fayyad to convince over 1,000 businessmen, bankers and government officials from throughout the Middle East to invest in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, although Fayyad admitted the territories were "far from the perfect business environment", being directly linked with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority is the Head of government of the Palestinian government The Finance Minister of the Palestinian Authority is the head of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA branch that is in charge of finance Dr Salam Fayyad (سلام فياض b 1952 is a Palestinian politician who on June 15, 2007, was appointed the Prime Minister of the Palestinian The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. The Gaza Strip (قطاع غزة, רצועת עזה Retzu'at 'Azza) is a coastal strip of land along the Mediterranean Sea, bordering Egypt on the south-west Nonetheless, 1. 4 billion US dollars was secured for business investments in the Palestinian territories. ^[64]

Culture

Embroidery

See also: Palestinian costumes

Before the establishment of Israel as a state, Bethlehem costumes and embroidery were popular in villages throughout the Judaean Hills and the coastal plain. The women embroiderers of Bethlehem and the neighboring villages of Beit Jala and Beit Sahour were known to be professional producers of wedding costumes. ^[65] Bethlehem was a center for embroidery producing a "strong overall effect of colors and metallic brilliance. "^[66]

Less formal dresses in Bethlehem were generally made of indigo fabric and a sleeveless coat (bisht), made from locally woven wool, was worn over top. Dresses for special occasions were made of striped silk with winged sleeves and the short taqsireh jacket, known throughout Palestinian as the Bethlehem jacket, was worn over it. The taqsireh was made of velvet or broadcloth, usually with heavy embroidery. Velvet is a type of tufted fabric in which the cut threads are very evenly distributed with a short dense pile giving it a distinct feel Broadcloth is a dense Woolen cloth. Modern broadcloth can be composed of Cotton, Silk, or Polyester, but traditionally broadcloth ^[65]

Bethlehem work was unique in its use of couched gold or silver cord, or silk cord onto the silk, wool, felt or velvet used for the garment, to create stylized floral patterns with free or rounded lines. This technique was used for "royal" wedding dresses (thob malak), taqsirehs and the shatwehs worn by married women. It has been traced by some to Byzantium, and by others to the more formal costumes of the Ottoman Empire's elite. This article is about the city See also Byzantine Empire. Byzantium ( Greek: Βυζάντιον Latin: la BYZANTIVM As Bethlehem was a Christian village, local women were also exposed to the detailing on church vestments with their heavy embroidery and silver brocade. ^[65]

Museums

Bethlehem has four museums located within its municipal borders. Christmas Eve, December 24, is the day before Christmas Day, the celebrated birthday of Jesus. The Crib of the Nativity Theatre and Museum offers visitors 31 3D models depicting the significant stages of the life of Jesus. Its theater presents a 20-minute animated show. The Badd Giacaman Museum, located in the Old City of Bethlehem, dates back to the 18th century and is primarily dedicated to the history and process of olive oil production. The Badd Giacaman Museum (also know as the al-Bad Museum for Olive Oil Production) is located in the center of Bethlehem, near the Church of the Nativity ^[3]

Baituna al-Talhami Museum, established in 1972, contains displays of the culture of Bethlehem's inhabitants. ^[3] The International Museum of Nativity was designed by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for the purpose of showing works of "high artistic quality in an evocative atmosphere". United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on November 16 ^[3]

Cultural centers

Bethlehem is home to the Palestinian Heritage Center, established in 1991. The Palestinian Heritage Center is a Palestinian cultural center located in Bethlehem. The center aims to preserve and promote Palestinian embroidery, art and folklore. Palestinian costumes are the traditional Clothing worn by Palestinians. Palestinian art is a term used to refer to Paintings Posters Installation art and other visual media produced by Palestinian artists ^[67] The International Center of Bethlehem is another cultural center that concentrates primarily on the culture of Bethlehem. It provides language and guide training, woman's studies and arts and crafts displays, and training. ^[3]

A branch of the the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music is located in Bethlehem and has about 500 students. The Edward Said National Conservatory of Music is a Palestinian music conservatory with branches in Ramallah, Jerusalem, and Bethlehem Its primary goals are to teach children music, train teachers for other schools, sponsor music research, and the study of Palestinian folklore music. ^[68]

Christmas celebrations

Christmas rites are held in Bethlehem on three different dates: December 24 is the traditional date by the Roman Catholic and Protestant denominations, but Greek, Coptic and Syrian Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas on January 6 and Armenian Orthodox Christians on January 19. Events 563 - The Byzantine church Hagia Sophia in Constantinople is dedicated for the second time after being destroyed by Earthquakes Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. History of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria Apostolic foundation Egypt is identified in the Bible as the place of refuge that the The Syriac Orthodox Church is an autocephalous Oriental Orthodox church based in the Middle East with members spread throughout the world Events 1066 - Harold Godwinson is crowned King of England. 1205 - Philip of Swabia becomes King The Armenian Apostolic Church (Հայաստանեայց Առաքելական Եկեղեցի Hayasdaneaytz Arakelagan Most Christmas processions pass through Manger Square, the plaza outside the Basilica of the Nativity. Catholic services take place in St. Catherine's Church and Protestants often hold services at Shepherds' Fields. ^[69]

Government

Bethlehem is the muhfaza (seat) or district capital of the Bethlehem Governorate. Ḥamas (ar حركة حماس acronym ar حركة المقاومة The Bethlehem Governorate ( محافظة بيت لحم) is one of 16 Governorates of the West Bank and Gaza Strip within the Palestinian Territories. The Bethlehem Municipal Council consists of fifteen elected members, including the mayor and deputy mayor. A special statute requires that the mayor and a majority of the municipal council must be Christian, while the remainder are open seats, not restricted to any religion. ^[4]

There are several branches of political parties on the council, including Communist, Islamist, and secular. Communism is a Socioeconomic structure that promotes the establishment of an egalitarian, classless, stateless Society based Islamism ( Islam + ism; Arabic: al-'islāmiyya) a set of ideologies holding that Islam is not only The leftist factions of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) such as the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and the Palestinian People's Party (PPP) usually dominate the reserved seats. The Palestine Liberation Organization ( PLO) (منظمة التحرير الفلسطينية or Munazzamat al-Tahrir al-Filastiniyyah) is a political and paramilitary The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine ( PFLP) ( Arabic: الجبهة الشعبية لتحرير فلسطين al-Jabhah al-Sha`biyyah li-Tahrīr The Palestinian People's Party ( PPP, in Arabic حزب الشعب الفلسطيني Hizb al-Sha'b al-Filastini) founded in 1982 as the Palestinian Communist Hamas gained the majority of the open seats in the 2005 Palestinian municipal elections. Ḥamas (ar حركة حماس acronym ar حركة المقاومة Municipal elections were held to elect members of local councils in the Palestinian Territories between December 2004 and December 2005 ^[70]

Elected Candidates of the Bethlehem municipal elections of 2005

Rank	List	Candidate name	Religion
1	Brotherhood & Development (PFLP)	Victor Batarseh	†
2	United Bethlehem (Fatah and PPP)	Antun Salman	†
3	Reform (Hamas)	Hasan al-Masalma	☪
4	United Bethlehem (Fatah and PPP)	Afram Asmari	†
5	Wafaa (Palestinian Islamic Jihad)	Isa Zawahara	☪
6	United Bethlehem (Fatah and PPP)	Khalil Chawka	☪
7	Reform (Hamas)	Khalid Jadu	☪
8	Hope & Labour (Fatah)	Zughbi Zughbi	†
9	Reform (Hamas)	Nabil al-Hraymi	☪
10	Reform (Hamas)	Salih Chawka	☪
11	Reform (Hamas)	Yusuf al-Natsha	☪
12	Brotherhood & Development (PFLP)	Nina 'Atwan	†
13	Brotherhood & Development (PFLP)	George Sa'ada	†
14	Independent	Nadir al-Saqa	†
15	United Bethlehem (Fatah and PPP)	Duha al-Bandak	†

Mayors

The mayor and the deputy mayor of Bethlehem are required by municipal law to be Christian. The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine ( PFLP) ( Arabic: الجبهة الشعبية لتحرير فلسطين al-Jabhah al-Sha`biyyah li-Tahrīr Bethlehem Brotherhood and Development (بيت لحم تآخي وتطوير was a candidature bloc that contested the May 2005 municipal elections in Bethlehem, the West The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine ( PFLP) ( Arabic: الجبهة الشعبية لتحرير فلسطين al-Jabhah al-Sha`biyyah li-Tahrīr Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings United Bethlehem Bloc (كتلة بيت لحم الموحدة Kutla Beit Laham Al-Muwahida) was a joint list of Fatah, Palestinian People's Party and independents Fatah (فتح literally opening, is a reverse Acronym from the Arabic name Harakat al-Tahrir al-Watani al-Filastini (حركة التحرير The Palestinian People's Party ( PPP, in Arabic حزب الشعب الفلسطيني Hizb al-Sha'b al-Filastini) founded in 1982 as the Palestinian Communist Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Reform Bloc (كتلة الاصلاح Kutla Al-Islah) was a candidature list that contested the May 2005 municipal elections in Bethlehem, the West Bank Ḥamas (ar حركة حماس acronym ar حركة المقاومة For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. United Bethlehem Bloc (كتلة بيت لحم الموحدة Kutla Beit Laham Al-Muwahida) was a joint list of Fatah, Palestinian People's Party and independents Fatah (فتح literally opening, is a reverse Acronym from the Arabic name Harakat al-Tahrir al-Watani al-Filastini (حركة التحرير The Palestinian People's Party ( PPP, in Arabic حزب الشعب الفلسطيني Hizb al-Sha'b al-Filastini) founded in 1982 as the Palestinian Communist Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Wafaa Bloc (كتلة الوفاء was a candidature list that contested the May 2005 municipal elections in Bethlehem, the West Bank. The Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine (حركة الجهاد الإسلامي في فلسطين - Harakat al-Jihād al-Islāmi fi Filastīn For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. United Bethlehem Bloc (كتلة بيت لحم الموحدة Kutla Beit Laham Al-Muwahida) was a joint list of Fatah, Palestinian People's Party and independents Fatah (فتح literally opening, is a reverse Acronym from the Arabic name Harakat al-Tahrir al-Watani al-Filastini (حركة التحرير The Palestinian People's Party ( PPP, in Arabic حزب الشعب الفلسطيني Hizb al-Sha'b al-Filastini) founded in 1982 as the Palestinian Communist For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Reform Bloc (كتلة الاصلاح Kutla Al-Islah) was a candidature list that contested the May 2005 municipal elections in Bethlehem, the West Bank Ḥamas (ar حركة حماس acronym ar حركة المقاومة For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Hope and Labour Bloc (كتلة الأمل والعمل was a candidature list that contested the May 2005 municipal elections in Bethlehem, the West Bank. Fatah (فتح literally opening, is a reverse Acronym from the Arabic name Harakat al-Tahrir al-Watani al-Filastini (حركة التحرير Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Reform Bloc (كتلة الاصلاح Kutla Al-Islah) was a candidature list that contested the May 2005 municipal elections in Bethlehem, the West Bank Ḥamas (ar حركة حماس acronym ar حركة المقاومة For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Reform Bloc (كتلة الاصلاح Kutla Al-Islah) was a candidature list that contested the May 2005 municipal elections in Bethlehem, the West Bank Ḥamas (ar حركة حماس acronym ar حركة المقاومة For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Reform Bloc (كتلة الاصلاح Kutla Al-Islah) was a candidature list that contested the May 2005 municipal elections in Bethlehem, the West Bank Ḥamas (ar حركة حماس acronym ar حركة المقاومة For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Bethlehem Brotherhood and Development (بيت لحم تآخي وتطوير was a candidature bloc that contested the May 2005 municipal elections in Bethlehem, the West The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine ( PFLP) ( Arabic: الجبهة الشعبية لتحرير فلسطين al-Jabhah al-Sha`biyyah li-Tahrīr Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Bethlehem Brotherhood and Development (بيت لحم تآخي وتطوير was a candidature bloc that contested the May 2005 municipal elections in Bethlehem, the West The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine ( PFLP) ( Arabic: الجبهة الشعبية لتحرير فلسطين al-Jabhah al-Sha`biyyah li-Tahrīr Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings In Politics, an independent is a Politician who is not Affiliated with any Political party. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings United Bethlehem Bloc (كتلة بيت لحم الموحدة Kutla Beit Laham Al-Muwahida) was a joint list of Fatah, Palestinian People's Party and independents Fatah (فتح literally opening, is a reverse Acronym from the Arabic name Harakat al-Tahrir al-Watani al-Filastini (حركة التحرير The Palestinian People's Party ( PPP, in Arabic حزب الشعب الفلسطيني Hizb al-Sha'b al-Filastini) founded in 1982 as the Palestinian Communist Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings ^[4]

Mikhail Abu Saadeh - 1876 Khalil Yaqub - 1880 Suleiman Jacir - 1884 Issa Abdullah Marcus - 1888 Yaqub Khalil Elias - 1892 Hanna Mansur - 1895-1915 Salim Issa al-Batarseh - 1916-17 Salah Giries Jaqaman - 1917-21 Musa Qattan - 1921-25 Hanna Ibrahim Miladah - 1926-28 Nicoloa Attalah Shain - 1929-33

Hanna Issa al-Qawwas - 1936-46 Issa Basil Bandak - 1946-51 Elias Bandak - 1951-53 Afif Salm Batarseh - 1952-53 Elias Bandak - 1953-57 Ayyub Musallam - 1958-62 Elias Bandak - 1963-72 Elias Freij - 1972-97 Hanna Nasser - 1997-2005 Victor Batarseh (current) - 2005-[71][72]

Education

According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS), in 1997, approximately 84% of Bethlehem's population over the age of 10 was literate. Elias 'Issa Bandak (إلياس بندك was the mayor of Bethlehem from 1951-52 1953-57 and from 1963-72 serving three separate terms Elias 'Issa Bandak (إلياس بندك was the mayor of Bethlehem from 1951-52 1953-57 and from 1963-72 serving three separate terms Ayyub Musallam was the mayor of Bethlehem from 1958 - 1962. Elias 'Issa Bandak (إلياس بندك was the mayor of Bethlehem from 1951-52 1953-57 and from 1963-72 serving three separate terms Elias Mitri Freij (1918 Bethlehem - 29 March 1998 Amman, Jordan) a Palestinian Orthodox Christian was mayor of Bethlehem from 1972-1997 Hanna Nasser was the Mayor of Bethlehem from 1997 to 2005 being succeeded by Victor Batarseh. Victor Batarseh ( Arabic, فيكتور بطارسة) (b 1935 is the Mayor of Bethlehem in the West Bank in the Palestinian territories The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS (الجهاز المركزي للإحصاء الفلسطيني is the statistical organization and branch of the Interior Ministry Of the city's population, 10,414 were enrolled in schools (4,015 in primary school, 3,578 in secondary and 2,821 in high school). About 14. 1% of high school students received diplomas. ^[73] There were 135 schools in the Bethlehem Governorate in 2006; 100 run the Education Ministry of the Palestinian National Authority, seven by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and 28 were private. The Bethlehem Governorate ( محافظة بيت لحم) is one of 16 Governorates of the West Bank and Gaza Strip within the Palestinian Territories. The Ministry of Education and Higher Education of the Palestinian National Authority is the branch of the Palestinian government in charge of managing the Education in the Palestinian United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East ( UNRWA) is a relief and human development agency providing education health care social services ^[74]

Bethlehem is home to Bethlehem University, a Catholic Christian co-educational institution of higher learning founded in 1973 in the Lasallian tradition, open to students of all faiths. Bethlehem University in the Holy Land is a Catholic Christian co-educational institution of higher learning founded in 1973 in the Lasallian tradition Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". Bethlehem University is the first university established in the West Bank, and can trace its roots to 1893 when the De La Salle Christian Brothers opened schools throughout Palestine and Egypt. The Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools (also known as the Christian Brothers, the Lasallian Brothers, the French Christian Brothers ^[75]

Transportation

Bus service

Bethlehem has four privately owned bus stations which offer service to Jerusalem, Hebron, Nahalin, Battir and Beit Fajjar. Hebron ( al-Ḫalīl or al-Khalīl, Standard Hebrew: Ḥevron Tiberian Hebrew: Ḥeḇrôn is the largest city in the West Bank, located in the south Nahalin, also spelled Nahhalin, Nahhaleen, or Nahaleen, (نحالين is a Palestinian village located in the Bethlehem Governorate Battir (بتير is an ancient town located five kilometers west of Bethlehem, and south west of Jerusalem. Beit Fajjar (بيت فجّار is a Palestinian town located eight kilometers south of Bethlehem in the Bethlehem Governorate, in the central West Buses and taxis with West Bank licenses are not allowed to enter Israel, including Jerusalem, without a permit. ^[76]

Movement restrictions

The Israeli construction of the West Bank barrier has had an impact on Bethlehem politically, socially, and economically. Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the West bank walljpg|thumb|Aerial view looking east from the Israeli side The barrier runs along the northern side of the town's built-up area, within meters of houses in 'Aida refugee camp on one side, and the Jerusalem municipality on the other. ^[32]

Most entrances and exits from the Bethlehem agglomeration to the rest of the West Bank are currently subject to Israeli checkpoints and roadblocks. The West Bank (الضفة الغربية, הגדה המערבית Hagadah Hamaaravit) also referred to in Israel as " Judea and Samaria A Israel Defense Forces checkpoint, usually called an Israeli checkpoint (מחסום machsom) is a barrier erected by the Israel Defense Forces with the The level of access varies based on Israeli security directives. Travel for Bethlehem's Palestinian residents from the West Bank into Israeli-annexed Jerusalem is regulated by a permit-system. ^[77] Acquiring such permits to enter, what in the past served in many ways as an urban anchor to Bethlehem, has become exceedingly rare since the onset of the violence surrounding the Second Intifada, though Israel has subsequently erected a terminal to ease transit between the two adjoining cities. ^[32][78]

Palestinians are not allowed to enter the Jewish holy site of Rachel's Tomb, which is on the outskirts of the city, without a permit. Rachel's Tomb ( Hebrew: קבר רחל Arabic: translit Qubbat Rakhil, trans Since Bethlehem and the nearby biblical Solomon's Pools lie in Area A (territory under both PNA military and civil administration), Israeli citizens are barred without a permit from the Israeli military authorities. ^[32]

Sister cities

Bethlehem has the following sister cities. ^[79]

Marrickville, Australia. Marrickville is a Suburb in the Inner West of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Steyr, Austria. Steyr is a town in the Austrian federal state of Upper Austria, located at the confluence of the rivers Steyr and Enns. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. Natal ( Portuguese for "Christmas" naˈtaw is the capital city of Rio Grande do Norte, a north eastern state in Brazil. |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld Valinhos, Brazil. For the Brazilian football manager nicknamed Valinhos see Jose Claudinei Valinhos is a city and municipality ( municipio) in the state of |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld Třebechovice pod Orebem, Czech Republic. Třebechovice pod Orebem (ˈtr̝̊ɛbɛxovɪtsɛ ˈpodorɛbɛm is a town in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic. The Czech Republic ( ˈt͡ʃɛskaː ˈrɛpuˌblɪka short form in Česko ˈt͡ʃɛskɔ also called Czechia, Villa Alemana, Chile. Villa Alemana (literally "German Village" is a city and community in central Chile. Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the Concepción, Chile. History Concepción was founded by Pedro de Valdivia in 1550 north of the Bío-Bío River, at the site which is today known as Penco. Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the Paray-le-Monial, France. Paray-le-Monial is a town and commune of central France, in the region of Burgundy, in the Saône-et-Loire département This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Strasbourg, France. Strasbourg (Strasbourg stʁazbuʁ Alsatian: Strossburi,; Straßburg) is the capital and principal City of the Alsace région This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Athens, Greece. Athens (ˈæθənz Αθήνα Athina,) the Capital and largest city of Greece, dominates the Attica periphery as one of the world's Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία Cologne, Germany. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. [80] Florence, Italy. Florence ( Italian: Firenze Florentia and Fiorenza) is the Capital City of the Italian region of Tuscany Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Greccio, Italy. Greccio is an old hilltown and Comune of the Province of Rieti in the Italian region of Lazio, 42°27N 12°45E at 705 meters (2313 ft Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Milan, Italy. Milan (Milano Milan (listen) is one of the largest cities in Italy, located in the plains of Lombardy. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Assisi, Italy. Assisi (əˈsiːzi or /əˈsiːsi/ ( Latin: Asisium) is a Town in Italy in Province of Perugia, Italy, in the Umbria Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Orvieto, Italy. Orvieto is a city in southwestern Umbria, Italy situated on the flat summit of a large butte of Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest

Pavia, Italy. Pavia (pronounced Pavìa,) the ancient Ticinum, is a town and Comune of south-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 35 km south Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest [81] Verona, Italy. Verona is a city and provincial capital in Veneto, Northern Italy. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Monterrey, Mexico. This article is about the Mexican city for other uses see Monterrey (disambiguation. The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. Rabat, Morocco. Rabat ( Arabic الرباط, transliterated ar-Rabāṭ or ar-Ribāṭ) population 2 million ( 2007 estimate) is the Morocco (المغرب "al-Maghrib" officially the Kingdom of Morocco (المملكة المغربية is a country located in North Africa The Hague, Netherlands. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands Sarpsborg, Norway. is a city and municipality in the county of Østfold Norway. The city was founded as Borg by the famous Viking King Olav Haraldsson (Saint Olav in Norway ( Norwegian: Norge ( Bokmål) or Noreg ( Nynorsk) officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Constitutional Cusco, Peru. ||} Cusco (also spelled Cuzco, and in the local Quechua language as Qusqu 'qos Peru (Perú Piruw Piruw officially the Republic of Peru ( reˈpuβlika del peˈɾu is a country in western South America. Saint Petersburg, Russia. Saint Petersburg ( tr: Sankt-Peterburg,) is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Pretoria, South Africa. Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa Zaragoza, Spain. Zaragoza, also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza province and of the autonomous community and former Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. [82] Cordoba, Spain. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Leganés, Spain. Leganés is a town in central Spain. Part of the greater Madrid Conurbation - mainly a Working class satellite-city with a population of 184481 Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Glasgow, Scotland. Glasgow (ˈglæzgoʊ is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. Burlington, Vermont. Burlington is the largest city in the US state of Vermont and is the shire town ( County seat) of Vermont ( is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. Orlando, Florida. Orlando is a major City in central Florida, USA and is the County seat of Orange County Florida. Florida ( is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the

References

See also

• Star of Bethlehem
• Bethlehem of Galilee
• Municipal election in Bethlehem, 2005‎

External links

• Bethlehem Municipality
• Bethlehem Peace Center
• Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land website - pages on Bethlehem
• Bible Land Library
• Bethlehem 2000 project
• Open Bethlehem civil society project
• Bethlehem: Muslim-Christian living together
• Photo Gallery of Bethlehem from 2007

See also Star of Bethlehem (plant. The Star of Bethlehem, also called the Christmas Star, is a star in Christian tradition Bethlehem of Galilee (בֵּית לֶחֶם הַגְּלִילִית Beit Lehem HaGlilit) is a semi-cooperative Moshav in northern Israel. Municipal elections were held in Bethlehem in 2005. Elected candidates Unsuccesful candidates Source

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