How Much Do Americans Know About Bethlehem?

Dec. 23, 2006 — -- To enter Bethlehem, you have to pass through a massive steel door, cross Israel's eight-meter-high Security Wall and pass two sets of armed Israeli soldiers.

The city has seen a sharp drop in tourism, and there is a growing exodus of Christians. Bethlehem is in an economic crisis.

A group called Open Bethlehem has been trying to raise awareness about the dire situation in the city. Last year, they began issuing mock passports to celebrities, offering them "citizenship" to encourage them to visit as a way of bringing attention to the problem.

Just in time for Christmas, Open Bethlehem commissioned a poll in the United States to try an expose some misconceptions about the city. The survey coincides with another poll in Bethlehem carried out by the Palestinian Centre for Research and Cultural Dialogue.

There are stark differences between what Palestinians and Americans think about one the world's most important Christian cities

Most Americans mistakenly think Bethlehem is an Israeli city. Of the Americans surveyed, only 15 percent realize Bethlehem is actually a Palestinian city in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

The vast majority of Americans assume Bethlehem is too dangerous to visit. However, ask residents of Bethlehem and more than 80 percent consider their city safe for tourists.

Not surprisingly, the misconceptions extend to who is to blame. Almost half of the Americans surveyed blamed the present crisis in Bethlehem on Islamic politics. Ask Christians in Bethlehem and they blame the Israeli government because the Security Wall cuts off their city from nearby Jerusalem.

There are also stark differences in the surveys about how people believe Muslims and Christians actually get along in Bethlehem.

The U.S. survey reveals only 17 percent of Americans think Muslims and Christians can live peacefully together while 90 percent of Christians in Bethlehem said they get along with Muslims.

Open Bethlehem is trying to get the International community to push Israel to bring down the Security Wall. Leila Sansour, the chief executive of Open Bethlehem, said the survey reveals that some crucial decisions have to be made about Bethlehem in order to preserve its future.

"Either the wall stays and Bethlehem ceases to be a Christian town, or Bethlehem retains its Christian population -- in which case the wall has to come down," Sansour said. "The international community needs to wake up to what is happening and choose."