A death unites the community in Bethlehem

The death of a Palestinian leader, shot in an ambush by Israeli forces, brought together Muslim and Christian communities.
Many met together in the Church of the Nativity, held to be on the site of the birthplace of Jesus, to mourn the loss of a leader who carried both a Koranic text and a picture of Mary. mother of Jesus.
“Mohammed Shehadeh was one of four Palestinians shot in an Israeli undercover ambush here last week, killings that have fuelled support for Hizbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, among Christians and Muslims alike.
School principals, teachers and students from the Bethlehem School, the Catholic School and the Greek Orthodox School paraded to the mourning tent outside the church chanting and waving placards praising the Palestinian ‘martyr’.
‘People admired Shehadeh’s ability to stand up to the Israelis,’ said Sami Awad, Christian executive director of the Holy Land Trust, dedicated to promoting non-violent action against Israel’s occupation. ‘There’s a lot of admiration for the charisma that Nasrallah has and the way he speaks and presents his views in public.’ “

Sami Awad, Director of the Holy Land Trust was our host in our 2004 visit to Bethlehem.

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