Bethlehem’s Church of Nativity Under Threat
The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem was nominated as an endangered site on UNESCO’s World Heritage list by the Palestinian Authority.
The bid will be decided at the World Heritage Convention in St. Petersburg, Russia, from June 24 to July 6. UNESCO, the scientific and cultural agency of the United Nations, recognized Palestine last year as a member state.
Israel and the United States are opposing the action, which could cause problems for UNESCO. While the Palestinians police the Bethlehem’s streets, Israel still has authority to determine what enters and leaves the area.
After UNESCO voted 107-14 in favor of granting member status to the Palestinians, existing U.S. laws mandated Congress to withdraw its annual commitment of $80 million of foreign assistance to the organization.
President Obama has said, however, that he would like Congress to clear the way for UNESCO to reapply for funds.
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning journalism this Passover.
In this age of misinformation, our work is needed like never before. We report on the news that matters most to American Jews, driven by truth, not ideology.
At a time when newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall. That means for the first time in our 126-year history, Forward journalism is free to everyone, everywhere. With an ongoing war, rising antisemitism, and a flood of disinformation that may affect the upcoming election, we believe that free and open access to Jewish journalism is imperative.
Readers like you make it all possible. Right now, we’re in the middle of our Passover Pledge Drive and we still need 300 people to step up and make a gift to sustain our trustworthy, independent journalism.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
Only 300 more gifts needed by April 30
