Can israelis go into bethlehem

Downtown Bethlehem, the commercial heart of the city, is mostly bypassed in favor of the more well-known ancient site: the church built on top of the grotto where Jesus was born. After the Oslo I Accord — what was meant as a pathway for Palestinian self-determination — was signed by the Israeli government and the Palestine Liberation Organization in , tourism in Bethlehem boomed. As a political stalemate and expanding Israeli settlements led to the bloody Second Intifada, or uprising, the devastation and Israeli curfews kept tourists away; hotels closed and restaurants went out of business.

It took several years for Bethlehem to claw its way back as a tourist destination. Star Street has already been renovated three times in almost two decades. As it makes its way from the Vatican to Jerusalem and then on to Bethlehem, this small piece of history is expected to attract more pilgrims this Christmas season. This number includes only pilgrimage groups and not individuals, though, so numbers are expected to be much higher.

Since , the number has been going up. Also this year, Israeli authorities have banned Christians in the Gaza Strip from entering Bethlehem and other cities in the West Bank during Christmas. Last year, of the roughly 1, Palestinian Christians were given permits to travel to Bethlehem, Nazareth, and Jerusalem to celebrate Christmas. Today, there are 23 settlements, which take up 8. Some , Israeli settlers — comprising about one-third of the total settler population in the West Bank, according to Khalilieh — live here on hilltops, in houses marked by their red tile roofs.

Salman said that hope had been that the coming months would somewhat compensate for the losses of the past year and a half, but the announcement from the Israeli Tourism Ministry simply compounded the sense of anger and frustration. There is no logic to the policy, he claimed. We will be in touch with the international community to reject this directive out of hand.

He added that in Bethlehem, there is care in observing the Health Ministry guidelines, including requiring proof of vaccination or recovery from the coronavirus, and hotels are also being asked to operate based on the guidelines. In a widely covered meeting with Abbas, they discussed the importance of cooperation and support for the Palestinian Authority. The directive preventing pilgrims from staying overnight there is a death sentence for anyone who has still managed to keep their head above water.

For the safest and most enriching experience, we recommend that you either go on an organized tour of Bethlehem or hire a private tour guide, both of which should organize transportation to and within Bethlehem. Here are some of our favorites:.

Read more about taxis here. Please note that because you are crossing through a checkpoint, passports must be carried at all times. With guaranteed tours departing every day, they are convenient.

You can just relax and benefit from the value of a local guide taking you direct to the major sites. We offer a number of great tours below:. Tourist shuttles are currently available every afternoon, leaving Jerusalem at , and leaving Bethlehem at also dropping off in Tel Aviv. Perfect for a quick visit or for those who are looking for an overnight stay.