Once again I find myself compelled as the Mayor of Bethlehem to convey to the world at large my grave concern over the serious threat that overshadows the Town of the Nativity and its future represented by the Israeli expansionist project to annex Rachel’s Tomb and a vast area of Bethlehem northern lands and to include them under permanent Israeli control.

Despite the fact that no decision is pronounced yet in the lawsuit we brought in front of the Israeli High Court of Justice against this project 21 months ago, the fore mentioned Court has recently given the permission to the Israeli military authorities to start the works to implement the project. The permission was delivered in return to an alleged undertaking by the Israeli army to the Court to restore the previous situation should the verdict to be rendered by the Court be incompatible.

I look at this act with great seriousness for it is an apparent detour around the legitimacy of our appeal.  It is a flagrant violation to all rules and conventions and forestalling to the Court’s verdict thus unmasking the Israeli’s concealed expansionist intentions towards Rachel’s Tomb and the northern area of Bethlehem.

After all, it contradicts with the security arrangements regarding Rachel’s Tomb in Bethlehem according to TABA agreement that guaranteed free movement of Palestinians on the main road leading from Jerusalem to the Tomb.  The implementation of the Israeli plan is catastrophic on Bethlehem. It will create facts on the ground that are liable to suffocate our town, close its single bottle neck entrance with a 9-metre high concrete wall separating the whole northern area from its natural environment in Bethlehem and burden it with heavy losses in all fields.

Such practices materialize the policy of might over the oppressed rather than dedicating justice and respect of others rights.  They certainly do not help in building bridges of trust, nor do they serve the cause of peace.

With Christmas approaching, I would like to indicate that this aggression on Bethlehem afflicts the whole Christian world, as Bethlehem is the cradle of Christianity hence is the heritage of all Christians in the world.

I call upon all people of good will to defend the lawful rights of our Holy Town and to urgently interfere for the sake of preventing this oppressive plan. 

Hanna J. Nasser

Mayor of Bethlehem