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Beit Sahour is
situated to the east of Bethlehem. The population of 15.000
is largely Christian. The town is reputed to be close to the
place where, according to the Bible, the angel announced the
birth of Jesus to shepherds.
Beit Sahour is a significant centre of civil society
activism and has played a prominent role in the events of
the first and second Palestinian Intifadas, with local
activists pioneering non-violent resistance techniques.
During the second Intifada, the
Palestinian Centre for Rapprochement between Peoples, based
in Beit Sahour, has played a major role in promoting
non-violent activism, including the work of the
International Solidarity Movement. The Alternative
Information Centre is also partly based in the town and runs
a political café that organises events every Tuesday and
Saturday. In the old town there is The Alternative Tourism
Group, a non-governmental organisation specialising in tours
of Palestine and "Israel" which engage with current
political events. The YMCA has a rehabilitation and sports
centre in Beit Sahour as well as the Joint Advocacy
Initiative office of the YMCA and YWCA. As part of the Olive
Tree Campaign the JAI organises olive picking and planting
programs with groups of internationals every year.Another
organisation that focuses on alternative tourism is Siraj
Center, that organises tours, trips and summer programs for
internationals.
Beit Sahour is used to having international visitors and
many of the inhabitants speak English or other foreign
languages! Beit Sahour has a couple of nice restaurants and
if you can’t find something in one of the shops in Beit
Sahour, then you can take the bus up to Bethlehem, which is
only 10 minutes from Beit Sahour.
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