BETHLEHEM, August 10, 2026 (WAFA) – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates today organized a field tour for the diplomatic corps accredited to the State of Palestine in Bethlehem Governorate to brief them on Israeli occupation violations and colonial policies targeting land, Palestinians, and archaeological and historical sites in the governorate.
The tour, organized in cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, Bethlehem Governorate, the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission, and relevant bodies, was attended by Governor of Bethlehem Muhammad Taha, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Hani Al-Hayek, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs Omar Awadallah, heads of several local authorities, representatives of civil society institutions and local organizations, as well as representatives of several countries and diplomatic missions accredited to the State of Palestine.
The tour began at the Bethlehem Convention Palace and included Solomon's Pools and the 'Aush Ghurab area before continuing to the villages of Hindaza and Khalayel Al-Louz. Participants received briefings on the situation in these areas, including colonization, land seizure, attempts to impose control over the land, and efforts to alter the character of archaeological and historical sites.
The governor of Bethlehem reviewed the daily Israeli measures targeting the Bethlehem Governorate, including home demolitions, raids into cities and towns, the issuance of military orders, land seizure, and colonial expansion.
He stressed that these measures are part of a systematic policy aimed at undermining the Palestinian presence, creating new realities on the ground, and threatening the governorate's geographical contiguity.
For his part, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs Omar Awadallah affirmed that field tours for the diplomatic corps are among the tools through which the State of Palestine conveys its messages to the international community and gives representatives of countries a firsthand view of the reality of the crimes and violations committed by Israel against the Palestinian people on the ground.
He stressed the importance of continuing Palestinian diplomatic efforts to expose the occupation's practices, mobilize international support for the legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people, and call on the international community to assume its responsibilities toward the Palestinian people and their land, holy sites, and historical sites.
Meanwhile, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Hani Al-Hayek, underscored the importance of organizing field tours for the diplomatic corps, noting that such visits provide an opportunity to present a firsthand and accurate account of the situation on the ground and to brief representatives of the international community on Israeli measures targeting Palestinian land and its archaeological and historical sites, which seek to undermine the foundations for the establishment of the Palestinian state.
He explained that, as part of the government's efforts, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities is working to safeguard archaeological and historical sites across the governorates by reinforcing the Palestinian presence at these sites, promoting domestic tourism, and undertaking their development, rehabilitation, and restoration to ensure they remain accessible and serve tourism and cultural purposes.
Al-Hayek stressed that Palestinian citizens constitute the first line of defense in safeguarding archaeological and heritage sites, emphasizing that strengthening the Palestinian presence at these sites is among the most effective means of protecting and preserving the sites, alongside official, legal, and diplomatic efforts at both the local and international levels.
He noted that the ministry continues to work to safeguard Solomon’s Pools and counter efforts by the occupation to erase its historical and national identity. He added that the ministry is also pursuing the site’s inclusion under the “enhanced protection” system for cultural heritage, which would provide an additional layer of international protection.
During the visit to Solomon’s Pools, the diplomatic delegation received a briefing on the site’s historical and archaeological significance, as well as the threats it faces. The delegation then proceeded to the 'Aush Ghurab area, where it was briefed on efforts by the occupation and colonists to impose control over Palestinian land, before continuing to the villages of Hindaza and Khalayel Al-Louz, where it was briefed on the hardships faced by Palestinians and measures aimed at restricting their access to and use of their land and compelling them to leave.
In this context, Director of the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission in Bethlehem Governorate Younis Arrar warned of the growing threat posed by escalating colonist attacks and attempts to create new realities on the ground, seize additional Palestinian land, and gain control over Palestinian sites.
He highlighted the serious threat posed by attacks targeting the Solomon’s Pools area, despite its classification as Area A under the Oslo Accords and its being under Palestinian control, stressing that such attacks constitute a grave assault on Palestinian land and historical sites and an attempt to impose control over the area and erase its national and cultural identity.
He called for strengthening the official and popular presence in the area and protecting its archaeological and historical sites, alongside intensifying international diplomatic and legal efforts to counter attacks by the occupation and its colonists.
The tour forms part of Palestinian efforts to strengthen the international diplomatic presence on the ground, convey the reality of occupation violations directly to representatives of countries, and underscore that protecting archaeological and historical sites is an integral part of safeguarding Palestinian national identity in the face of attempts to erase and alter its features.
T.R.
