Monthly Archives: December 2015

Here in Bethlehem, many are struggling to find reasons to celebrate

“Here in Bethlehem, many are struggling to find reasons to celebrate. The cycle of fear and hatred seems worse than ever. And to be honest, many here feel hopeless and forgotten by the world.”
Holyland Trust.

Bethelem at the centre of Christmas celebrations is locked into an ever deepening crisis. This Christmas we will sing our carols and feast in remembrance of a joyous birth, but the reality in Bethlehem today is far removed from the hope and promise for the world we continue to believe in.

As politicians indulge in in-fighting whether to bomb another Middle Eastern nation those at the sharp end are not considered as a report on Channel 4 News made clear. No one asked the Syrian people what they felt was best. Who asked the Iraqis or Libyans? Today once viable states, however far from our view of perfect, have become ungovernable. The problem for the people of Bethlehem is that they remain occupied.