Bethlehem 2000: Birthplace of Jesus to have a big party
Palestine-European Union, Culture, 5/21/1998

The controversy over Israeli products made in the Jewish settlements in the Occupied Territories still goes on.

The European Commission has reportedly prepared a list of measures the Israeli government has been taking to obstruct Palestinian exports and imports with Europe, said Nabil Shaath, Palestinian minister of international cooperation. A press release issued recently by the ministry of international cooperation noted that the European Commission has taken a set of resolutions during the donor countries conference that was held between May 11-12 in Brussels to raise funds for the Bethlehem 2000 Project. The report said the EC has warned Israel against the continued harassment of Palestinian exports and imports. The EC has called for a new mechanism to be established to supervise all of Israel's searches and control measures "in order to make sure that those delays by Israel are brought to an end, once and for all," said Shaath.

Shaath praised the EC move to view the means to boycott Israeli products produced in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip Jewish settlements as well as those produced in East Jerusalem. He said the EC was adamant in its demand of Israel to adhere to certificates of origin of Israeli products that are bound for export to Europe. The joint Israeli-European trade agreements do not apply to any products that are produced in Jewish settlements in any part of the Occupied Territories and thus all goods that originate from the Jewish settlements cannot be exported from Israel to Europe, said Shaath.

The Brussels conference was basically meant to discuss raising funds for the Bethlehem 2000 Project. The Palestinian delegation to the conference was headed by Palestinian President Yasser Arafat and included a number of Palestinian ministers and experts who are closely connected to the Bethlehem 2000 Project. The participants wanted to start a worldwide campaign of preparations for the special celebrations Palestine plans in the city of Bethlehem by the end of the second millennium in the year 2000.

Sponsored by the European Commission, the conference was held to encourage government and private investments in order to financially support this project, said Palestinian state minister Nabeel Kassis. Kassis, who is also the director general of Bethlehem 2000 Project, said a number of states and organizations have so far come forward with significant support to the project. The list of those supporters includes the World Bank, UNESCO, UNDP, the European Union, Japan, Germany, Italy, USA, Sweden, Spain, and France.

Birthplace of Jesus Christ, the small town of Bethlehem is also important to Islam. Jerusalem's Latin Patriarch Vicar Bishop Hanna Bathish believes that though the year 2000 celebrations are mainly Christian but they are also for all mankind, including believers in Islam. "We know very well that our brothers, the Moslems, venerate so much Jesus Christ who is mentioned often in the Holy Koran in different ways for about many things," said Bishop Bathish. Therefore, he argued, the Moslems living in Bethlehem and elsewhere have a major interest in making those celebrations a real success. Bishop Bathish emphasized the fact that Moslems and Christians lived together in Bethlehem for ages and none can live in an island of isolationism. "We simply cannot live separated or divided. Not only we cannot but also we do not want to live in isolation. We want to be all together and we want to live side by side."

Bishop Bathish said that Bethlehem is somehow underdeveloped mainly because of close to 30 years of Israeli military occupation. "Therefore it is not well promoted, well improved, or well organized to face the coming celebrations and the coming influx of so many pilgrims and tourists," he said. He urged the world countries to forward their financial help to the Bethlehem 2000 Project. "We like to see the Palestinian National Authority very well equipped and assisted to do whatever is possible to prepare Bethlehem for the year 2000 celebrations," he said. He added that for him, the festivities are not only religious but also have a cultural aspect as well. Bishop Bathish stressed that the church sees absolutely no contradiction between the religious aspect of the great jubilee of the year 2000 and the civil aspect.

Bethlehem itself is a unique city. Walking through its narrow streets is just like reading from a history book. Byzantine, Crusader, Turkish and British remains and monuments are mixed with local and European architecture. They all consolidate with the Arab Islamic style, traditions, and cultural heritage. For two thousand years, wars never ceased in the Holy Land. Yet Bethlehem has remained a symbol of hope. A few days before Christmas 1995, almost thirty years of Israeli military occupation came to an end. Bethlehem regained its freedom. The triumphant entry of the Palestinian government and of President Yasser Arafat to the city made not only news headlines but had pumped new life into Palestinian hope for a better future. In March 1997, President Arafat issued a decree establishing the Bethlehem 2000 Project. Since then he has been personally supervising the efforts to finish the chain of projects before the end of this century.

"The idea is to celebrate a unique occasion in a unique place," said Dr. Nabeel Kassis. He said the project is hoped for to become a springboard to enhance the tourism sector and consequently the economy of the Palestinian state, and to create a legacy that would stay for many years after. Kassis noted that the project goes beyond the year 2000 and beyond the area of Bethlehem. "We have a program for infrastructure building that touches on roads, electricity, water, sewage and alike. The cultural heritage program touches on renovating certain old parts of Bethlehem, Beit Sahour and Beit Jala and the surrounding areas. Tourism program touches on making known venues and sites that tourists want to visit and enhance their capability to receive tourists," he said.

Kassis said the Palestinian government has been doing its best to encourage the private sector to come along with projects of their own. "The private sector is invited here to do a lot, especially in the area of tourism. With the help of the donor countries, the public sector will provide the infrastructure and will try to create the necessary atmosphere in terms of security." He added that everything is being done on the part of the Palestinian government to make it possible and more inviting for the private sector to come and join. He hailed the investment law that was ratified by the Palestinian Legislative Council early in May and said it came as a very good incentive for the private sector to come forward with profitable investments in a number of fields.

Given the urgency to save the historic town centers, the Palestinian government requested a plan to conserve and rehabilitate the cultural heritage in the Bethlehem district. The Emergency Action Plan aims to renovate most of the city of Bethlehem and to maintain its cultural heritage. The old market area will be renovated. New shops will replace most of today's dilapidated shacks while maintaining the traditional cultural appearance and heritage. A pedestrian mall will be built to facilitate movement not only for local residents but also for the influx of tourists who will arrive for the 2000 celebrations.

Natural decay and rapid growth of population have caused erosion in the physical condition of many historic cores in Bethlehem. Overcrowding, congestion, pollution, and overloaded service networks are part of the city's problems. Many of the narrow alleyways in the historic centers are abandoned due to emigration and to lack of maintenance and modern facilities. A calendar of events has been prepared for a number of performances, dancing groups, singers, art galleries and a whole set of cultural activities that are due to take place during the 2000 celebrations, which are due to last between Christmas 1999 and Easter 2001. The list can go on and on, making it a real challenge for all those behind the Bethlehem 2000 Project.

"Of course it is a challenge indeed. The costs are very high not only because the events themselves might be expensive but also because of the need to build an infrastructure that is completely dilapidated," said Kassis. "The idea here is to invite the donor countries to participate and support this project which we hope will contribute to peace and stability in the area." According to preliminary estimates, the project cost is over US $300 million.

Bethlehem mayor Hanna Nasser said that at least four million tourists are expected to arrive in Bethlehem in the year 2000 to celebrate the start of the third millennium. "Therefore," he said, "we need a lot of help to redevelop the city because we cannot do it on our own." He added that to redevelop the city of Bethlehem is not an easy job because it deals with infrastructure projects and takes a lot of time. He noted that some of those projects would be ready by the year 2000 but many other projects will still have to be continued beyond the year 2000.

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