Bethlehem (Israel)

Bethlehem for most westerners regardless of religious affiliation or lack thereof is associated with one thing: the birth of Jesus. In fact the place was so associated with that story that despite knowing a place with that name existed I got a slight shock actually seeing the town marked on maps and in guide books. Visiting this place of importance to so many people cannot be anything but a thrilling experience.

Most tourists enter the ...
...from Damascus Gate to the Bethlehem crossing for 6 NIS. All visitors must disembark at the wall checkpoint and cross on foot. On the other side it is a 15 minute walk into the centre or taxis wait to take people in-they are often more than willing to take visitors around the town (and the wall) for a relatively small charge.

Bethlehem is quite typical of a small Arab town with a souq, an intricately decorated mosque and a huge range ... more

Bethlehem for most westerners regardless of religious affiliation or lack thereof is associated with one thing: the birth of Jesus. In fact the place was so associated with that story that despite knowing a place with that name existed I got a slight shock actually seeing the town marked on maps and in guide books. Visiting this place of importance to so many people cannot be anything but a thrilling experience.

Most tourists enter the West Bank via Jerusalem involving the crossing of the infamous and illegal wall being built within the Palestinian territories. The wall has become almost a tourist attraction, if an unusual one, in its own right and although some people find this a little grotesque, personally I am up for anything that increases profile and therefore criticism and discussion. Walking towards the wall from the Israeli side there is a large notice saying in Hebrew, Arabic and English, and apparently without irony, May Peace Be With You-placed on the 4 metre high, imposing structure. This is intended to intimidate and make it very difficult for Palestinians to cross.

As in Berlin the wall is covered in graffiti, some elaborate, some touching and some just the usual stupid scribbles. Many I would consider works of art and there are extremely cutting and clever observations through writing and picture (Banksy famously made a contribution here), however, my personal favourite has to be 'Can I have my ball back please? Thanks!' scrawled along the middle of one section of the wall.

Practically, rundown minibuses (no.21) go from Damascus Gate to the Bethlehem crossing for 6 NIS. All visitors must disembark at the wall checkpoint and cross on foot. On the other side it is a 15 minute walk into the centre or taxis wait to take people in-they are often more than willing to take visitors around the town (and the wall) for a relatively small charge.

Bethlehem is quite typical of a small Arab town with a souq, an intricately decorated mosque and a huge range of falafel and shawarma outlets. As you might expect Bethlehem has a large Arab Christian population that used to be the majority but has declined like all Christian populations in the region. NowChristians now are around 40% of Bethlehem. The fantastic smells and chattering that I have come to associate with Arab towns are here marred with evidence of conflict and also with a somewhat disturbing array of kitsch Christmas decorations, no matter what time of year. This dichotomy made Bethlehem seem quite unreal to me, a mixture of guns and fake swirling clouds of snow surrounding a cradle whilst I stood in the blazing Middle Eastern sunshine. If there was a way to make the situation appear ludicrous it has been achieved apparently without effort or irony here.

The Church of the Nativity is the focal point of most visits to Bethlehem and doesn't fail to astound with its layers of history, culture and people. The Church can be traced back to the time of Constantine and has been influenced by all the passing forces to come through since then and the various Christian groups to claim the birthplace of their saviour. Persian, Greek, Byzantine and Crusader are just some of those to have left their mark. Now in shared custody of the Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox and Armenian Church the hotchpotch of styles and time periods can be quite strange but they also make this a fascinating building with stories about almost every brick.

Down below the church is a small cove, or the apparent original cave where Mary gave birth to the baby Jesus. This is in the Greek section of the church and as I walked through the small opening and down the narrow curving stone steps the smell of incense, the higher temperature and the murmured singing and chanting of the priests hit me only getting stronger as I descended into the small highly decorated cave below. There is a small but steady string of tourists and pilgrims coming to the church and so it is unlikely to ever be a tranquil and relaxed experience but instead quite intense. The group of people crowd around the many pointed Silver Star given by the French to mark the supposed exact spot of Jesus birth and later crib and every form of prayer and outpouring of feeling can be seen. Some people threw themselves at the star, others kissed it, some pushed forward to touch the area only to glance around seemingly embarrassed and then others still hung around the back not wanting to get in the way. I seemed to be in a mass of humanity unsure how to react.

The pilgrims and general visitors also give an interesting snapshot of the changing face of Christianity. There was a small group of non-Christians, then a small group of western Christians but the large part were African pilgrims whose practice of the religion can seem quite odd with the largely white focus of the old churches.

It is also possible to visit other sites associated with the nativity story such as the Shepherds' field (there are a couple of rival spots claimed by various churches) and a place where Mary is meant to have fed Jesus dropping a few drops of milk, although personally I didn't visit either of these. Also Rachel's Tomb is located on the outskirts Bethlehem, now inside a fortified casing, but still visitable.

Whilst I was in the region Friday protests were still run through Bethlehem and can be joined by anyone. Typically there are Arabs (Muslim and Christian) alongside small foreign and Israeli groups. Of course, be aware of what you are involved in. It is also reasonably common to observe from hilltops if you would rather not get involved.

The situation in the West Bank obviously has to be taken into consideration for any visit to Bethlehem or elsewhere in the region. I can't, of course, categorically say that it is safe to visit but I can offer some advice and my own experience. First of all, the British FCO (Foreign and Commonwealth Office) usually does not advice against travel to the West Bank although you are of course advised to keep an eye on recent events. Also Bethlehem is by far the most wealthy and touristy town and is a chasm away from the other towns and villages I have visited in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and personally I felt welcomed (and I am a Jew!).

Bethlehem remains an important pilgrimage point for many people and a crucial place of history and interest for many more but it is undeniably overshadowed with a heavy sadness. As I said at the start of this review, Bethlehem is always going to be a thrilling experience but unfortunately not all of this is from a positive place. Regardless of personal belief this is a place that has influenced much of the world and individuals within it yet even within this rather touristy area there is always the shadow of conflict preying on the edges-and until that goes it will remain a place that seems unreal. 

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