The sun rose early this morning and we were all eager to hear the news, to know if the Israeli tanks have indeed withdrawn from Bethlehem and Beit Jala, as agreed. It was a relief to hear on the early news report, confirmation that the Israeli forces had withdrawn. Last night it was fairly quiet and the shooting did not last long. The aftermath of the past 10 days of the Israeli incursion and reoccupation of our land has left a very dark cloud over each and every house in Bethlehem district, and all over the whole Palestine. No-one has been untouched by this. No-one has been left without feelings of hurt. Everyone here can tell a sad story of the suffering they have endured during the past 10 days.

The sun rose early this morning and we were all eager to hear the news, to know if the Israeli tanks have indeed withdrawn from Bethlehem and Beit Jala, as agreed. It was a relief to hear on the early news report, confirmation that the Israeli forces had withdrawn. Last night it was fairly quiet and the shooting did not last long.

The aftermath of the past 10 days of the Israeli incursion and reoccupation of our land has left a very dark cloud over each and every house in Bethlehem district, and all over the whole Palestine. No-one has been untouched by this. No-one has been left without feelings of hurt. Everyone here can tell a sad story of the suffering they have endured during the past 10 days.

Our Engineering Department usually records the damage following any Israeli shelling or shooting attacks, but for the past few days our engineers have been unable to visit the bombed areas and record the damage because of the continuing shelling and shooting during the day time.

As much as we can talk of and record the damages that Beit Sahour has endured over the past 10 days, it cannot compare to what Bethlehem, and especially the two refugee camps Al Azza and Aydah, and Beit Jala have endured.

The recently modernized road from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, which was rehabilitated by the Bethlehem 2000 project, along with the buildings on both sides of the road, have suffered much structural damage. All over Bethlehem there are houses, shops, business premises, public property and infrastructure which has been badly damaged to a point where it is almost inconceivable unless one sees it with one’s own eyes. No matter how hard we try to get across the devastation, words cannot express adequately the trail of destruction the Israeli tanks and bombs have left in their wake. This, of course, does not include all those who were killed and injured during the 10 day invasion. The effects of this period will be with us forever.

It seems, having witnessed the calculated way in which the Israeli army proceeded to damage, wreck and destroy so much property, as if this was all part of a greater plan. Bethlehem and the surrounding area has, over the last 3 years, spent a great deal of money to make improvements. Most of the rehabilitation programmes were funded through the Bethlehem 2000 projects, which received much overseas support. Today, instead of being a pretty biblical town, looking forward to welcoming tourists and pilgrims from throughout the world, it has become yet another casualty of war.

Beit Sahour Municipality
P. O. Box 1
Beit Sahour
Palestine
Tel: +972-2-277-3666/7
Fax: +972-2-277-3520