JERUSALEM – U.S. Consul General Donald Blome Monday joined Palestinian officials and dignitaries to launch a major conservation project to protect and preserve the famous Solomon‘s Pools archaeological site in Bethlehem, according to a press release.

The $750,000 project is funded primarily through the U.S. State Department’s Ambassador Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) and implemented through a partnership with the Solomon’s Pools Preservation and Development Center (SPPD).

The program will help protect this historic site damaged in recent years by erosion to support tourism and the Palestinian economy, said the U.S. consulate press release.

Speaking at the ceremony, Blome said, “This contribution from the U.S. government not only underscores America’s respect and admiration for Palestinian heritage and its treasured antiquities, but also the imperative of supporting the Palestinian economy as an essential element for peace.”

This public-private project will undertake emergency repairs to a portion of the wall and cistern that collapsed last year.  It will also rehabilitate the pool to reduce the high risks of structural failures in its walls and platform.

The project will repair and protect canals and establish designated walking paths to protect the surrounding archaeological elements and allow visitors to tour the site without risk of damage.

AFCP supports the preservation of cultural sites, cultural objects, and forms of traditional cultural expression in more than 100 countries around the world. Its supported projects include the restoration of ancient and historic buildings, assessment and conservation of rare manuscripts and museum collections, preservation and protection of important archaeological sites, and the documentation of vanishing traditional craft techniques and indigenous languages.

M.K.