Maher Nicola Canawati, a Palestinian Christian, is the mayor of Bethlehem in the West Bank.
What is life like these days in Bethlehem?
Bethlehem is a small town. It used to be 41 square kilometers; now it’s only 7.3. It’s been carved up by the separation wall, surrounded and choked by 29 illegal settlements and approximately 134 gates, doors, barriers, and checkpoints. The population took a big hit from the separation wall, which separates Bethlehem from Jerusalem for the first time in history. Our 78 hotels have also taken a big hit due to the war and the lack of tourism. We feel that we have been strangled, abandoned by the international community. Our people are simply losing hope and leaving the city.
