BETHLEHEM, West Bank-
Bethlehem’s mayor called Monday for the Christian world to support Palestinians in the beleaguered town by visiting Jesus’ traditional birthplace this Christmas.
Speaking at a press conference in his office across from the Church of the Nativity, Mayor Victor Batarseh said the town of 30,000 has been hard hit by Israel’s West Bank separation barrier, which cuts Bethlehem residents off from jobs, studies, medical facilities and relatives in nearby Jerusalem.
“With the closure of Jerusalem to Palestinians and the limitation of permits granted by the Israeli authorities, unemployment has soared to 65 percent, which simply means that 65 percent of the people of Bethlehem live under the poverty line,” he said.
The drop in local tax revenues resulting from unemployment and the dive in tourism has been exacerbated by a freeze on international aid imposed on the Palestinian government since the radical Islamic Hamas movement rose to power in January elections, the mayor said. “The municipality couldn’t pay the salaries of its employees for more than three months now,” Batarseh said. “There will be no new clothes for the employees’ children this year, and Santa will not visit them.”
