To Bethlehem in the midst of war

A vendor waits for customers in Bethlehem. Photo: SCMP — A vendor waits for customers in Bethlehem

Australian tourist Ian Lloyd Neubauer visited Gaza in May and had a memorable experience walking in Bethlehem, a city in the Palestinian autonomous region of the West Bank, 10 km from Jerusalem. "I was one of the few tourists to come here after 7 months of fighting in Gaza," Ian said.

Considered the birthplace of Jesus and King David, Bethlehem is a major pilgrimage site for Christians, Jews and Muslims. Before Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, the city was considered a tourist hotspot or the “crown jewel” of the Palestinians’ $1 billion tourism industry.

“Whether you are interested in history, religion or culture, the city is certainly a fascinating place to visit,” local tour company Tourist Israel writes on its website. However, when Ian contacted to book a tour to Bethlehem, a representative said “tours have been cancelled” due to the fighting.

Having failed to book a tour, Ian went to the tourist information center in Jaffa, Tel Aviv, to seek opportunities. There, he met an Israeli who had been taking tourists to Bethlehem before the war. The man directed Ian to Jerusalem and from there to catch a bus to Bethlehem.

Departing from Damascus Gate, the largest of the eight gates leading into Jerusalem’s Old City, the bus carrying Ian and the other passengers stopped in Bethlehem. An Israeli border police officer boarded the bus to check the identity documents of each passenger. On board were a Romanian couple and Ian, who were foreigners, while the rest were Palestinians.

After the inspection, the bus continued on its way. Ian described the route from Jerusalem to Bethlehem as a “wonder,” with its long, winding roads, tunnels, bridges, and the Judean Mountains. The scenery on both sides was also impressive: steep, jagged hills, barren villages.

After 40 minutes of driving, the car arrived in Bethlehem. Ian's first impression was that "everything was in disrepair," from the roads, shops to the sidewalks. There was rubbish and weeds everywhere. Old cars were abandoned on the road.

A corner of Bethlehem today. Photo: SCMP — A corner of Bethlehem today

Ian got out of the car and was walking when a taxi driver approached him. He asked for 20 shekels (US$5) to take him to the Old City of Bethlehem, a UNESCO World Heritage site located on a steep hill. When the tourist refused and walked away, the driver cursed and shouted, “I’ll have Hamas kidnap you.”

"My heart started pounding," Ian said, so scared that "I could feel my pulse on my arm." Ian had two options at that moment: either just keep the threat or make the threat come true. If things went according to his second guess, there would be no point in getting back on the bus to Jerusalem. So Ian was determined to go straight ahead and not let the threat make him compromise with the driver's services.

The path to the top of the hill narrowed, leading to high white limestone steps that gleamed in the sunlight. Ian kept walking until he found himself in the middle of a bustling market, where fruit vendors and shoemakers busied themselves with customers. The smell of baking flatbread wafted through the air. Church bells rang from the belfry.

Ian found himself the only Western visitor at the market, attracting the eyes of the locals. Some snarled vendors asked him not to take their photos, others were indifferent, and some friendly children asked him where he was from.

The tourist turned into a cobblestone alley lined with empty handmade souvenir shops and the dispirited faces of their owners. “How are we going to survive?” one shopkeeper told Ian. Another said they hadn’t had a customer since October 7, 2023.

Inside the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem in May

At the top of the hill is the Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem's main attraction, built in the Roman style in 565. The structure is almost completely preserved with flower-filled courtyards.

Tourist Israel's website once wrote that the Nativity Grotto is the most sought-after spot in Bethlehem, with long lines of people waiting. No guide can guarantee the exact time they will be able to lead visitors into the grotto.

When Ian visited, there were only a small group of Arab tourists and a couple from Africa. International tourism to Israel has dropped by 80% since the war with Hamas. Most visitors are now Christians.

Ian returned to the market to buy a sandwich for 5 shekels (just over $1), a fifth of the price in Israel, and spoke to two Palestinian police officers. He mentioned the threat from the taxi driver. The officers said it was a “personal matter” and assured him that Bethlehem was “safe.”

Before returning to Jerusalem, Ian wanted to visit the tomb of Rachel, the prophetess and wife of Jacob, the third patriarch of the Israelites. The road to the tomb was wide and scorching hot because there were no trees. On both sides of the road were shops where men sat in groups smoking pipes. When Ian arrived, he could not enter because it was blocked by the West Bank Wall, a hundreds of kilometers long concrete barrier built by Tel Aviv.

Ian hailed a taxi to take him to the bus stop. The driver whined and complained about the war through the narrow streets of Bethlehem. As he followed the highway to Jerusalem, the bus stopped at a military checkpoint. Everyone had to show their identification and travel documents to Israel. Ian was relieved that the trip had ended without a hitch.

Ian said that if anyone sought his advice on travelling to Bethlehem, his answer would be "not recommended at the moment" because the war situation is still tense.

TB (according to VnExpress)

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