Krščanska naselja oko Betlehema okružena su sa svih strana doseljenicima koji kradu njihovu vodu i napadaju njihove obitelji

Croatian Ro Khanna 2:55

Palestinian displacement and land seizureWater scarcity and resource disparityRestrictions on freedom of movementIsraeli settlements in the West BankBethlehem and Christian Palestinian communities

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Gradonačelnik Betlehema razgovara s američkim kongresmenom o svakodnevnim teškoćama s kojima se Palestinci suočavaju u području Betlehema, gdje kršćanske zajednice s dubokim povijesnim korijenima pate pod vojnim okupacijom i širenjem naseljenika. Dokumentira ozbiljnu nejednakost u pristupu vodi—Palestinci primaju manje od 50 litara po osobi dnevno, dok WHO preporučuje 150, dok naseljenici primaju više od 400 litara. Gradonačelnik detaljno opisuje kako je 80% zemljišta u regiji oduzeto, a stanovnici su sada ograničeni na 20% prema Osloškim sporazumima, okruženi s 25 ilegalnih naselja. Ograničenja kretanja sprječavaju stanovnike da slobodno pristupaju osnovnim uslugama, školama i svetim mjestima: čak i kao gradonačelnik, mora zatražiti posebnu dozvolu za posjet Crkvi Svetog Groba u Jeruzalemu. Prepričava osobnu priču o svom kritično bolesnom ocu koji nije mogao biti prebačen u bolnicu u Jeruzalemu bez koordinacije kroz izraelske kontrolne točke, gubeći dragocjeno vrijeme. Gradonačelnik poziva kongresne delegate da iz prve ruke svjedoče situaciji i poziva na priznavanje tri temeljne palestinske zahtjeva: zemljište, vodu i slobodu kretanja.

Key Points

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The mayor of Bethlehem describes the humanitarian and territorial crises facing Palestinian Christians in the West Bank: severe water scarcity (receiving less than 50 liters per capita daily versus settlers' 400+), displacement by 25 illegal settlements that control 80% of the land, and restrictions on freedom of movement even to pray at holy sites.

Summary

The mayor of Bethlehem speaks to a U.S. congressman about the daily hardships faced by Palestinians in the Bethlehem area, where Christian communities with deep historical roots struggle under military occupation and settler expansion. He documents a severe disparity in water access—Palestinians receive less than 50 liters per capita per day against WHO recommendations of 150, while settlers receive over 400 liters. The mayor details how 80% of land in the region has been seized, with residents now confined to 20% under the Oslo Accords, surrounded by 25 illegal settlements. Movement restrictions prevent residents from freely accessing essential services, schools, and holy sites: even as mayor, he requires special permission to visit the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. He recounts a personal account of his critically ill father unable to be transferred to a Jerusalem hospital without coordination through Israeli checkpoints, losing critical time. The mayor invites congressional delegates to witness the situation firsthand and calls for recognition of three fundamental Palestinian demands: land, water, and freedom of movement.

Key takeaways

Palestinians in Bethlehem receive less than 50 liters of water per capita daily, far below the WHO standard of 150 liters, while Israeli settlers in the same region receive over 400 liters per day.
Eighty percent of land in the Bethlehem area has been seized; Palestinians now live on 20 percent of their former territory, surrounded by 25 illegal settlements.
Movement restrictions require Palestinians, including the mayor, to obtain special permission to access holy sites such as the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and to travel between towns.
Medical emergencies are complicated by checkpoint procedures: the mayor's critically ill father lost critical time when transfer to a Jerusalem hospital required coordination through Israeli checkpoints.
The mayor's core demands on behalf of Palestinians are land, water, and freedom of movement—described as basic rights essential to survival and dignity.
The Hanania family, mentioned in the Bible, has deep historical roots in the land preceding the modern occupation.

Full article

Opening and Historical Roots

Thank you, Mr. Congressman. This is really my first time having a congressman come to Beit Sahour and the Bethlehem area. I am the mayor of Bethlehem, the city where Jesus Christ was born. My family name is Hanania. We are mentioned in the Bible several times, and we are proud that we are deeply rooted in this land. All the time we are trying our best to survive in the Holy Land.

Water Disparity and Daily Hardships

I can give you a simple example: water. According to the World Health Organization, we should receive 150 liters per capita per day. But unfortunately we are receiving less than 50 liters. How much are the settlers getting? They are getting more than 400 liters per capita per day. That is outrageous. A lot of people come to the mayor's office and tell me, "Please, I want to wash my clothes. I want to have a shower—just a weekly shower." This is the reality we face.

Land Seizure and Settlement Expansion

You can't control your own ground nor your own air. You are surrounded by 25 illegal settlements in a town where your family goes back before Jesus Christ was born. Eighty percent of the land was taken. We are living on 20 percent of the land under the Oslo Accords. This should have all been part of a Palestinian state.

Restrictions on Movement and Access to Holy Sites

We also cannot travel freely across all the borders and gates. Even to go to pray at the mosque or the church, we need permission. You cannot go to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre where Jesus was crucified without special permission. Even as a mayor, I need special permission. When my father was in critical condition at the hospital in Bethlehem, I wanted to transfer him to a hospital in Jerusalem. It had to be coordinated by a local ambulance to take him to the Israeli checkpoint. Imagine being in critical condition at an Israeli checkpoint and losing all that time. But this is still happening until today under human occupation.

A Message to Congress

If after my trip, more American members of Congress and senators started to come—because I'm hoping I won't just be the one—what will my message be to them about what should change? On behalf of my colleagues, we officially invite them to come and live our situation. After that, we have just one sentence: be ambassadors for the reality. All the congressmen can come and see the three basic things that we want. We want our land, we want water, and we want the freedom of movement. It's very simple—land, water, freedom of movement. As simple as that. We call on everybody in the United States to come here. We hope the government of the United States will give freedom to the Palestinian people.

Topics#Palestinian displacement and land seizure#Water scarcity and resource disparity#Restrictions on freedom of movement#Israeli settlements in the West Bank#Bethlehem and Christian Palestinian communities#Humanitarian conditions under occupation#Access to holy sites

Transcript (Croatian)

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0:00 Hvala vam, gospodine kongresmen.

0:02 Uh, to je doista prvi put, kongresmen, da dolazi u Beit Sahour i Betlehem području.

0:09 Ja sam gradonačelnik Betlehema, grada u kojem je Isus Krist rođen.

0:14 Moje obiteljsko ime je Hananija.

0:16 Mi smo nekoliko puta spomenuti u Bibliji i ponosni smo što smo duboko ukorijenjeni u ovoj zemlji, i sve vrijeme radimo najbolje da preživimo u Svetoj zemlji.

0:27 Mogu vam dati jednostavan primjer vode.

0:30 Prema

0:30 Svjetskoj zdravstvenoj organizaciji, trebali bi dobivati 150 litara po glavi stanovnika dnevno.

0:37 Ali, nažalost, primamo manje od 50.

0:41 I koliko su doseljenici dobili?

0:43 Oni dobivaju više od 400 litara po glavi stanovnika dnevno.

0:47 Strašno!

0:48 Mnogi ljudi dolaze u ured gradonačelnika.

0:51 Recite im, molim vas, da želim oprati svoju odjeću.

0:54 Želim se tuširati, tjedni tuš.

0:57 I ne možete kontrolirati svoje vlastito tlo ni svoj vlastiti zrak.

1:00 I okruženi ste 25 ilegalnih naselja u gradu gdje je vaša obitelj živjela prije nego što je Isus Krist rođen.

1:08 Da, 80% Beit Jala zemlje je oduzeto.

1:11 Živimo na 20% kopna u skladu s Sporazumima iz Osla.

1:15 To bi sve trebalo biti dio palestinske države.

1:17 Da.

1:18 Također, ne možemo putovati svim granicama i vratima.

1:24 Dakle, čak i da idemo moliti za džamiju ili crkvu.

1:29 Treba nam dopuštenje.

1:30 Ne možete ići u crkvu Svetog groba gdje je Isus bio raspet.

1:34 Ne, ne ne ne.

1:35 Potreban nam je posebna dozvola, čak i kao gradonačelniku.

1:39 Kada je moj otac bio u kritičnom stanju u bolnici u Betlehemu, želio sam ga prenijeti u bolnicu u Jeruzalemu.

1:45 Morala ga je koordinirati lokalna hitna pomoć kako bi ga odvela do izraelske kontrolne točke.

1:50 Zamislite da ste u kritičnom stanju, na izraelskoj kontrolnoj točki i gubite sve to vrijeme.

1:55 Ali to se još uvijek događa do danas pod okupacijom.

1:58 Ako nakon mog putovanja više američkih članova Kongresa i senatora počne dolaziti jer se nadam da nisam Što će im biti vaša poruka o tome što bi trebalo promijeniti mene kao gradonačelnika Betlehema?

2:11 I u ime mojih kolega, službeno ih pozivamo da dođu i žive našu situaciju.

2:17 I nakon toga, imamo samo jednu rečenicu za vas: budite ambasador za stvarnost.

2:22 Svi kongresmeni mogu doći i vidjeti osnovne tri stvari koje mi želimo.

2:27 Želimo svoju zemlju, želimo vodu i želimo slobodu kretanja.

2:32 To je vrlo jednostavna zemlja, voda, sloboda kretanja.

2:36 Tako jednostavno kao i to.

2:37 Svi iz SAD-a su dobrodošli.

2:41 Divno.

2:41 I mi se nadamo.

2:42 da će Vlada Sjedinjenih Država priznati slobodu palestinskom narodu.Hvala vam, gradonačelniče.

2:48 Thank you.

2:48 Mayor.

2:48 You're welcome.

2:49 Hvala vam, gospodine gradonačelniku.

2:50 Thank you.

2:50 Hvala vam puno, hvala vam.

2:51 Thank you.

2:52 Dođite u Betlehem.

2:53 Budi moja čast.

2:54 Došao sam po svoje blagoslove.

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