-
-
Menu written on West Bank barrier
A restaurant owner in the Palestinian town of Bethlehem has come up with a novel use for the Israeli-built concrete wall that passes his premises.
Tourists and locals alike can now choose their meals from a menu painted on to the West Bank barrier.
Bahamas seafood restaurant has recently reopened, after closing due to lack of business in recent years.
Israel says the barrier - part fence and part wall - is for security, but Palestinians see it as a land grab.
Bethlehem residents also say that the barrier has strangled the town economically, and discouraged tourists from staying in the reputed birthplace of Jesus Christ.
"They put up this wall thinking they can suffocate us, but we are not going to suffocate - we are determined to make something nice out of this," said restaurant owner Charlie Butto.
He has also added a veranda to his premises and named it the Wall Lounge.
"There are now lots of tourists who come and take pictures of the wall and they can sit have a drink. So when someone want to order something they can do it off the wall," said Mr Butto.
He says the restaurant has been closed since the Palestinian uprising - or intifada - broke out in 2000, and business was "devastated" by the building of the barrier.
Israel began building the West Bank barrier in 2002 and says the structure has greatly reduced suicide attacks on civilians in Israel.
The barrier's route has been widely criticised internationally for looping into Palestinian areas around Israeli settlements, rather than following the Green Line, which marks the boundary between Israel and the West Bank.
The International Court of Justice ruled in 2004 that the barrier is illegal where it cuts into the West Bank and called for it to be pulled down. A restaurant owner in the Palestinian town of Bethlehem has come up with a novel use for the Israeli-built concrete wall that passes h... more -
Sir Paul McCartney visits Palestinian site during Israel visit
During a lightning visit to the Church of the Nativity in Manger Square, believed to be the birthplace of Jesus, Sir Paul got a mixed reaction.
Among local Palestinians there was mostly bafflement at his status. Mohammed Itmaizi, a 26-year-old policeman guarding the ancient Byzantine basilica, said he had never heard of the Beatles or Sir Paul.
But among Western tourists visiting the church, Sir Paul's visit was welcomed with gusto.
A group of Spanish women sang "Yellow Submarine" in their own tongue outside the tiny stone doorway to the church and queued for photographs and autographs.
Sir Paul, who will perform in front of a 40,000-strong crowd in Tel Aviv on Thursday night modestly shunned their cries of "you're the best".
"No, you are the best, you are better than me," he said.
The doorway into the basilica, one of the oldest places of worship in Christendom, is famously small, forcing all visitors to stoop.
"I am feeling humble," he said, as he bent down and entered the main body of the church, where the walls still carry murals painted during the Crusades.
An austere bearded Greek orthodox monk handed Sir Paul a candle before he descended into the Grotto, the subterranean chamber where Mary is believed to have delivered Jesus.
It was noticeably hotter and more sweaty in the chamber, not helped by the crush of security guards, press officers, advisers and diplomats surrounding Sir Paul, but for a brief moment they composed themselves to allow him to light the candle.
"This candle is for peace for all people all around the world, especially in Israel and Palestine," he said after lighting the taper following a brief moment of contemplation.
His American girlfriend, Nancy Shevell, wearing tight white jeans, a white sleeveless top decorated with a single large black synthetic flower, rubbed him affectionately on the shoulder before they both climbed back up to ground level.
Throughout his 15-minute tour of the holy site, Sir Paul was given a commentary from a local tour guide but he kept being interrupted by international tourists aware they had a pop star in their midst.
He handled it all graciously, posing for photographs, shaking hands and trying to say hello in their languages.
He managed it in Spanish and Italian but was flummoxed by Russian and Ukrainian and at one point while surrounded by posing Spaniards sang "come on baby light my fire".
Wearing an open-top pink shirt, cargo trousers and tennis shoes Sir Paul, who only arrived in Israel by private jet with his band in the early hours, said he was "enjoying his visit greatly" to Palestine.
When asked his attitude to those Palestinian leaders who have criticised him for agreeing to perform in Israel, breaking their call for a cultural boycott of Israel, he said he respected their view but disagreed.
"I have come here to Bethlehem deliberately to see Palestine with my own eyes," he said.
"Anyone who knows me knows I support peace for all people.
"This visit is meant to counter those that criticise me for going to Israel."
Continued....... During a lightning visit to the Church of the Nativity in Manger Square, believed to be the birthplace of Jesus, Sir Paul got a mixed ... more -
Israeli Army kidnaps a civilian from Bethlehem
Local sources reported on Saturday that the Israeli army erected a military roadblock in Jinata village, east of the West Bank city of Bethlehem and kidnapped a civilian from the village of Beit Fajjar, south of Bethlehem.
Eyewitnesses reported that the army invaded Jinata village with a number of military vehicles, and erected a military checkpoint at the entrance of the village entrance hindering the movement of cars going in or out of the village.
Moreover, troops checked the ID cards of dozens of civilians and harassed them.
In addition, Israeli troops kidnapped Imad Taqatqa and took him to an unknown destination. Local sources reported on Saturday that the Israeli army erected a military roadblock in Jinata village, east of the West Bank city of... more -
Israeli forces murder four Palestinians in Bethlehem shooting
Israeli special forces gunned down four Palestinians in the West Bank city of Bethlehem on Wednesday evening, including a leader in Islamic Jihad, witnesses said.
Islamic Jihad leader Mohammad Shahada, Issa Marzouq Imad Al-Kamal , and Ahmad Bilboul were killed in the attack. Israeli special forces gunned down four Palestinians in the West Bank city of Bethlehem on Wednesday evening, including a leader in Is... more -
Shame On Priests Who Brawled In Bethlehem
by Nicole
Shame on everyone who took part in the brawl at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. According to an AFP report, seven people were injured today (Thursday 27th December 2008) when a fight broke out between Greek Orthodox and Armenian priests at the church which is said to mark the site of Christ's birth. The fracas began after Greek Orthodox priests set up ladders, which encroached on space set aside for the Armenian priests, while attempting to clean up their part of the church. Palestinian police were called in to stop what the BBC called "pitched battles" which involved about 80 "holy" men wielding brooms.
How can any of those involved dare to call themselves followers of Christ and behave like this? Their behavior is especially shameful at such a place and time! I mean how hard is it to understand the meaning of "love thy neighbor" (Mark 12:33) and "turn the other cheek" (Matthew 5:39). Both are concepts we expect Sunday school kids to understand, never mind grown men of the cloth. The priests on either side shouldn't be allowed to preach to anyone until they all make amends to the brothers they were so readily brawling with today.
http://www.dailymantra.com
http://www.myspace.com/thedailymantra by Nicole ... more -
Clashing Clergy
Greek Orthodox and Armenian priests turned on each other at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem's West Bank on Thursday. Their long-standing rivalries came to a head with approximately 30 Armenians and 50 Greek Orthodox Priests descending into violence against each other, using sticks and stones as weapons. The Priests and cleaners were scrubbing the Church of Nativity ahead of ceremonies before the violence erupted.
Palestinian police, armed with batons and shields, quickly formed a human cordon to separate the two clashing sides.
Not really the right time or the place... Greek Orthodox and Armenian priests turned on each other at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem's West Bank on Thursday. The... more -
Bethlehem Celebrates Christmas
Some good news for Christmas: Gloom was banished from Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem for the first time in years on Monday as Christian pilgrims from all over the world flocked here to celebrate Jesus' birth in an atmosphere of renewed tranquility. Some good news for Christmas: Gloom was banished from Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem for the first time in years on Monday as Chr... more
-
Banksy's Satire Vandalised by Bethlehem Residents
Bethlehem residents have painted over a satirical mural by the graffiti artist Banksy that was meant to highlight their plight. The elusive British artist had painted six images around the town to help drum up tourism before Christmas and to illustrate the hardships faced by Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. But the irony behind the depiction of an Israeli soldier checking a donkey's identity papers was lost on some residents, who found it offensive. Bethlehem residents have painted over a satirical mural by the graffiti artist Banksy that was meant to highlight their plight. The el... more
-
Banksy's Back: Iconic Graffiti Found In Bethlehem
Britain's most famous graffiti artist has struck again, this time leaving his mark on the security wall in Bethlehem. The celebrity-acclaimed artist daubed six new images onto the West Bank barrier, including a dove wearing a flak jacket and a soldier checking a donkey's papers.
It coincides with the opening tomorrow of a new exhibition in Bethlehem which is aimed at bringing people to the West Bank to see the situation there first hand.
Personally I'm a little bored of his stuff and to me - he's almost become a caricature of himself now. At the same time, he's talking about the big issues that really count. What are your thoughts? Britain's most famous graffiti artist has struck again, this time leaving his mark on the security wall in Bethlehem. The celebri... more
-
related topics
Bethlehem
Contributors (27)
Bethlehem
