Bethlehem

INTERNATIONAL LAW

THE OCCUPATION

UN Security Council Resolution 242
22nd November 1967
Emphasised "the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by war" and called for "Withdrawal of Israel armed forces from territories occupied in the recent conflict".

THE WALL

International Court of Justice in The Hague ruling
9th July 2004

•The construction of the wall being built by Israel, in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, is contrary to international law.

•Israel is under an obligation to cease construction of the wall and to dismantle forthwith the structure.

•Israel is under an obligation to make reparation for all damage caused by the construction of the wall.

•All States are under an obligation not to recognize the illegal situation resulting from the construction of the wall and not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation.

•The United Nations, and especially the General Assembly and the Security Council, should consider what further action is required to bring to an end the illegal situation resulting from the construction of the wall.

PALESTINIAN LAND ON THE 'ISRAELI' SIDE OF THE WALL

Bethlehem land
3.6 Square Kilometres
380 owners.

Beit Jala land
7.3 Square Kilometres
1 183 owners

Beit Sahour land
1.7 Square Kilometres
150 owners.

Land is also being lost by Al Khader and Artas villages in the south of Bethlehem.

ISRAELI SETTLEMENTS

Fourth Geneva Convention Article 49

"The occupying power shall not deport or transfer parts of its own population into the territories it occupies."

Bethlehem's Ghetto Wall

Video the wall by Aida refugee camp. Active Content needs to be enabled to view this You Tube video

Christmas is cancelled in Bethlehem - The wall must fall Active Content needs to be enabled to view this You Tube video

Video we produced to go with the soundtrack to Garth Hewitt's song They've cancelled Christmas in Bethlehem (The wall must fall) which can be downloaded from www.amostrust.org . Should you wish to download and store the video and do not have the software to do that from You Tube then right click and save this file Christmas is cancelled in Bethlehem - The wall must fall

Queuing from before 5am to pass through the checkpoint separating Bethlehem from occupied Palestinian East Jerusalem. It may take four hours to get through, and they have to return home in the evenings. Those queuing here are the lucky few who have permits to work in Jerusalem. Many in Bethlehem have been denied permits and are unemployed. This is not the border between Israel and the occupied territories. Both sides of the wall here are within the Palestinian Territories occupied since 1967 in defiance of United Nations Security Council Resolution 242. Richard Goodman's description of a morning at the checkpoint.

Active content needs to be enabled to view this You Tube video

Pilgrims and Tourists leaving Bethlehem later in the day usually get through the checkpoint quickly. Israel does not want to make the experience even more shocking for foreigners who may influence opinion in their home countries.

Source: PLO Negotiations Affairs Department
The settler only bypass roads east and south of Bethlehem are enclosed by security fences, effectively creating other ghetto walls

Source: PLO Negotiations Affairs Department