Another tour, another life (15th dec. 2008)

There we go, my 2nd trip with Media Central and a group of 25 worldwilde journalists in Bethelehem.

It was a Pre-Christmas Tour for the foreign journalists who cooperate with us. The trip included a talk with the Governator of Bethlehem and the Chairman of Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce and also several discussions with some Christians residents of thr city.

"Bethlehem" conjures many images for people around the world, especially for Christians around Christmas-time. This town is featured in stories and songs, nativity plays and artistic scenes. though, all of us joined a tour of this iconic place. We met the Chairman of Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce Dr. Samir Hazboun who discussed the life of Christians in Bethlehem. We talked with the Governor of Bethlehem Mr. Salah Ta'amari, a Fatah member, about the Christians living in the city and about Christmas preparations in Bethlehem. We had the opportunity to meet with a Christian resident Maher Zaghloul, who is a shop-keeper, and discussed with us about life as a Christian in Palestinian society.

More than that, jornalists met and interviewed a number of other Christian residents of the city.

The view that i personally got from this city was unexpectadly different of what i had in mind before. Considering it was my first time there, I was totally negatively surprized by the big amount of mulsim citizen, load more than the christians ones.

should be this another concerning issue? definetely!

people intervied unfortunately were a bit concerned of the consequnces of their answers, so everything was quite propaganda and less reality stuff, though, the stories were interesting and complex. The conflict between the chiristians and muslim people wasn't faced in front of the journalsits and all we could see was that daily life there is totally different from the other cities in Israel.

Such a close place to Jerusalem can have such an opposite "face" amd life.

The speeches of the Governor was from a solidar personal view, his own view, as far as he is part of fetah party, though the 1st speaker was better and with a more objective pont of view upon bethlehem tourism and christianity life.