With the eyes of the world focused on events in Gaza, the situation in the Palestinian West Bank city of Bethlehem, and its surrounding communities, continues to deteriorate, said Joseph A. Hazboun, regional director of CNEWA-Pontifical Mission in Jerusalem.
Unemployment has risen to 31 percent, and Bethlehem is losing approximately $2.5 million daily in tourism revenue, Mr. Hazboun said.
“This has led to the closure of local shops, restaurants and cultural establishments, threatening the preservation of Palestinian heritage. On top of these economic difficulties, religious and cultural celebrations such as Christmas and Easter celebrations have been canceled due to the ongoing war. More families in Bethlehem are emigrating, once a predominately Christian city, seeking opportunities elsewhere.”
In his June situation report for CNEWA, Mr. Hazboun reported the Israeli government has canceled thousands of work permits for Palestinians. In an email accompanying the report, Mr. Hazboun recounted the experience of one family.
“‘M’ used to work in Israel but, since October 2023, his permit was revoked,” Mr. Hazboun wrote. “The difficult financial situation made life at home difficult also for his wife and baby daughter as ‘M’ became restless and helpless, unable to provide for his small family. Three months ago, we were able to issue a three-month working permit for him thanks to some of our contacts. His whole attitude shifted, and the young couple started thinking of finally having their second child. However, his permit was not renewed and now he is unemployed again.
“This is only one of [a] thousand tragic stories of people suffering for no crime of their own, being victims of the ongoing war,” he said.
Mr. Hazboun’s report focused on the Bethlehem Governorate, an area south of Jerusalem, in the West Bank, which includes Bethlehem, some villages and three refugee camps. Israel has designated 85 percent of this land Area C, placing it under Israeli control.
Within the governorate, “there are an estimated 76 movement obstacles, consisting mostly of military checkpoints, road gates, earth walls and cement blocks, that continue to cut off access to jobs, schools and medical treatment centers,” Mr. Hazboun said.
In May, Israel’s Cabinet approved the start of the final registration of land ownership rights in Area C, “for the first time since 1967 and in violation of international law,” he said.
“It is expected this will lead to discrimination against Palestinians, who will find it difficult to prove their rights to their own land. Additionally, the Israeli government continues to seize swaths of land in Bethlehem,” Mr. Hazboun said, citing recent examples, including land seized as buffer zones around Israeli settlements.
CNEWA-Pontifical Mission and its partners have continued funding temporary employment opportunities, small health care grants — particularly for women and children — social service projects and other partner institutions in the Bethlehem area that are struggling financially. The nongovernmental organizations working with CNEWA-Pontifical Mission also offer student grants at Dar Al-Kalima University and Bethlehem University.
Mr. Hazboun said one immediate need was to help the Holy Land Handicraft Cooperative Society, a recognized fair trade organization, to purchase olive wood to enable its artisans to produce olive wood crafts for international fair trade markets.