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Palestine, West Bank: the colonization of Christian religious sites doesn’t stop
The occupation of the Palestinian territories in the West Bank goes on without stopping and the city of Beit Sahour, located east of Bethlehem, is facing growing problems due to Israel’s increasing plans for settlements in the Ush Ghrab area, on the eastern outskirts of the town.
The Shepherds’ Field combines deep religious significance with the historical and cultural heritage of the region. These concerns have intensified after the Israeli government’s announcement of the confiscation of about 100 dunams of land in the Ush Ghrab area, a move that has sparked widespread fears about its impact on development prospects and the city’s future growth.
In response, the Beit Sahour Municipality has launched diplomatic, legal, and public initiatives to defend the threatened lands. Working in coordination with official institutions and civil society, the municipality aims to challenge the confiscation measures and protect the city’s right to urban development and expansion.
Municipal officials point out that Ush Ghrab is a strategic lifeline for Beit Sahour, and any attempt to take control or isolate the area would undermine the city’s future development and limit opportunities for sustainable Palestinian growth in the region, reducing the space available for future urban expansion.
Palestinian political representation capable to oppose corruption is the real form of civil resistance that Palestine needs. For this reason, it’s important to give a voice to those who can and should speak.
Religious tourism
Today, the site attracts thousands of pilgrims and visitors from all over the world who come to commemorate this key moment in the Christian tradition.
The Shepherds’ Field in Beit Sahour is considered one of the most important Christian sites in the world, thanks to its close connection with the story of the birth of Jesus Christ as told in the Gospels.
According to the Gospel of Luke, shepherds were watching their flocks in the fields east of Bethlehem when an angel of the Lord appeared to them and announced the joyful news of Christ’s birth.
The gospel account says that the shepherds were the first people to receive the message of the Nativity before going to Bethlehem to see the newborn Jesus.
The territorial appropriation of Palestinian religious sites thus also becomes a theft commited against the entire global population. It is not just an “israeli-palestinian” issue. That’s a world’s issue.
Eyad Hamad
eyad.h158@gmail.com
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