Bethlehem, West Bank (PNN)
The head of the German Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Bishop Georg Bätzing, and a delegation from German churches visited Dheisheh refugee camp near Bethlehem on Tuesday to express solidarity with the Palestinian people and to see firsthand living conditions in Bethlehem and the camp during their tour of Palestine.
The delegation was received by senior Palestinian officials and religious figures, including Mohammed Khalil al-Lahham, a member of the PLO Central Council; Bethlehem Governor Mohammed Taha Abu Alia; Patriarchal Vicar William Shomali; Bethlehem Mayor Maher Qanawati; Deputy Governor Dawoud Hamri; Rana Melhem, director of the President’s Office in Bethlehem; Sheikh Abdul Majid Atta, the mufti of Bethlehem; Nader Faraj, head of the Refugee Affairs Department’s southern office; as well as representatives of Bethlehem’s civil society, popular committee leaders from Aida, Azza and Dheisheh refugee camps, national factions and local residents.
Palestinians described the timing of the visit as politically and religiously significant, saying it sent a message of solidarity with the Palestinian people in general and Bethlehem in particular, and highlighted what they described as Israeli crimes.
Speaking to Palestine News Network (PNN), Bätzing said he was both shocked and impressed by Palestinians’ resilience in the face of hardship. He said he had expected to encounter a broken people after hearing accounts from officials about what Palestinians have endured, but instead found a population with strong will and determination.
In remarks delivered during a reception in Dheisheh camp, Bätzing said his presence there was a historic moment for him, noting that he was visiting the birthplace of Jesus Christ. He stressed that every person has the right to live in freedom and dignity, praising Bethlehem for sending a message of hope to the world through its Christmas celebrations.
“We may live far from the Holy Land, but you are in our minds and hearts,” he said. “That is why we decided to come and listen to the daily hardships you face.” He added that the Assembly of Catholic Bishops and churches in Germany supports a two-state solution, allowing both Palestinians and Israelis to live in freedom.
Bätzing also praised what he described as the model of coexistence in Bethlehem and Palestine, saying Christians and Muslims live together in love and fraternity. He noted that generations in Dheisheh camp have not lost hope and urged residents not to give up or leave their land, saying his visit was meant to listen to the community and its representatives.
Addressing children and youth in the camp, Bätzing told them they are the future of Palestine, thanking them for their welcome and expressing confidence that they would continue building that future.
Bethlehem Governor Mohammed Taha Abu Alia said the visit to the refugee camp underscored that Palestinians have national and historical rights to their land and deserve to live, like other peoples, in freedom, peace and stability. He said Palestinians are facing “more than a catastrophe,” citing killings, destruction and home demolitions, and said Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, has not been spared daily Israeli measures, including closures, sieges, raids, arrests, the killing of children and land confiscation.
Despite the suffering, Abu Alia said Palestinians chose to mark Christmas as a message of hope, “snatching a moment of joy despite the pain,” and a call for the world to stand with Palestinian rights. He said Bethlehem sent its message by lighting the Christmas tree and welcoming the patriarch, stressing that the city remains safe despite Israeli restrictions controlling all entrances.
In closing, Abu Alia told the German guest that Bethlehem continues to be targeted by the occupation but will remain steadfast with the support of believers.
For his part, Al-Lahham said the visit during Christmas was a source of joy and received wide official
Lahham conveyed greetings from President Mahmoud Abbas to the visiting delegation, saying they bring hope and determination to the Palestinian people and strengthen their resolve to remain on their land, the land of Jesus Christ. He said the visit carries a clear message of support reflected in the delegation’s positions, and he welcomed Germany’s recognition of the State of Palestine, as well as the German churches’ recognition of Palestinian rights.
Addressing the guest, Lahham said: “Your arrival is a blessing, like life-giving rain for Palestine, even as the governorate faces severe hardship.”
Lahham highlighted the suffering and reality facing Palestinians amid pain, killings, siege and what he described as a war of extermination. He spoke about conditions in refugee camps not only in Bethlehem but across Palestine, as well as the situation in villages and cities threatened by settlement expansion, settler attacks, military incursions, land confiscation and water theft.
He also addressed the plight of Palestinian prisoners and their families, expressing hope that the visit would help ease the suffering of the Palestinian people.
Lahham stressed that Bethlehem city and governorate will remain a model of Muslim-Christian coexistence and mutual respect, despite attempts to undermine the Palestinian social fabric. He said Christmas celebrations are a clear reflection of this unity.
Children from the Dheisheh refugee camp presented messages of peace and love in German to the visiting delegation. Their messages described the persecution, pursuit, pain and suffering endured by Palestinian youth, as well as the targeting of their right to live in peace and freedom.
The children emphasized that both the Bible and the Quran call for preserving human dignity, protecting people and ensuring a decent life. They said Bethlehem has long represented a model of shared life and love, but that this way of life faces daily hardships due to the Israeli occupation, which they said seeks to extinguish Palestinian life. They expressed hope that the delegation would carry Palestine’s message to Germany and the wider world in support of a just and lasting peace.
