The Tragic City Behind the Iron Wall - Bethlehem

Bethlehem is a city located in the West Bank of Palestine, 10 kilometers south of Jerusalem. It is the capital of Bethlehem Governorate and the center of local culture and tourism. For Christians, Bethlehem is of special significance as the birthplace of Jesus and the location of the world's first church, the Church of the Nativity. When talking about Bethlehem, we have to mention its country Palestine. Although Bethlehem is administered by the Palestinian Authority, Israel controls the import and export of Bethlehem through its Berlin Wall and checkpoints, treating Palestine inhumanely. Palestinian citizens are like second-class citizens in Israel. The land of Palestine has been an Arab territory for thousands of years. After World War II, the Israelis returned and established the State of Israel with the assistance of the United Nations, occupying more than half of the Arab land, and the other half belonged to Palestine. Israel was founded in 1948 and was quickly recognized by the United Nations and Western countries. However, Palestine was not established until 1988, but has not been recognized to this day and can only operate internationally as an observer country. Even its capital, East Jerusalem, has been annexed by Israel. In sixty years, Palestine's territory has been reduced by more than 80% compared to the territory allocated to it by the United Nations in 1947. To get to Bethlehem, you can only hire a taxi or take a bus. Taking a bus at the Damascus Gate in the old city is the most convenient option. Buses 231 and 234 can also reach Bethlehem, but it is closer to walk to the Church of the Nativity after getting off bus 231, so it is recommended to take it. The No. 231 bus takes about 40 minutes and costs about ILS 7.0 (Palestine does not have its own currency and mainly uses the Israeli new tuk-tuk or US dollar). There is no passport check on the outbound trip to Bethlehem, but a passport check is required on the return trip to Jerusalem (remember to bring your passport and blue entry card). After getting off the bus, use Google Map to locate Bab El-Zakak Square (Beit Jala Road) or the Church of Nativity. It is about a 20-minute walk to the destination. You will pass through the vegetable market and grocery market during the walk, so be careful with your personal finances. On the return trip, you can take a bus back to Jerusalem from where you got off. The main attractions in Bethlehem are concentrated around Manger Square, such as the most popular birthplace of Jesus - the Church of Nativity and the connected Church of the Nativity - St. Catherine Church. In addition, there is the Milk Grotto Church next to it, where the Virgin Mary breastfed Jesus for the last time. The milky white building is well worth visiting. The most important thing is that all the above three attractions are free to visit. Finally, if time permits, you can take a taxi to visit the Chapel of the Shepherd's Field, which has three exquisite murals describing the scene of Jesus' birth.