Bethlehem Volunteers Clean Solomon’s Pools in Symbolic Show of Palestinian Presence Amid Settlement Concerns

BETHLEHEM, West Bank / PNN / Hundreds of volunteers, officials and community representatives gathered at Solomon’s Pools south of Bethlehem on Saturday for a large-scale cleanup campaign aimed at preserving one of the area’s most prominent historical landmarks while sending what organizers described as a message of Palestinian attachment to the land amid ongoing Israeli settlement expansion. The initiative was organized by the Fatah Youth Movement in Bethlehem in cooperation with the Palestinian Civil Defense and local municipalities. Throughout the day, volunteers cleared litter from around the historic pools, cleaned centuries-old water channels clogged with dirt and debris, and transported waste to disposal sites with support from municipal authorities. Deputy Bethlehem Governor Daoud Al-Hamri said the event carried both popular and official significance, describing it as a demonstration of Palestinians’ commitment to their land and national heritage despite difficult political and economic conditions. “This activity sends a public message that our people remain attached to their land and homeland,” Al-Hamri said. “At a time when Bethlehem is facing increasing settlement pressures, unity and collective action are essential.” Al-Hamri referred to recent Israeli measures affecting land in the Bethlehem area, including announcements concerning land near Al-Fureidis and the former military site of Ush Ghrab east of Beit Sahour. He said the developments reflect what local officials view as growing pressure on the governorate. “Today’s event is a message that this is our land and that we will remain steadfast on it,” he added. Yousef Al-Shayeb, secretary of the Fatah Youth Movement in Palestine and a member of Fatah’s Revolutionary Council, said the campaign formed part of broader youth activities aimed at affirming the Palestinian identity of Solomon’s Pools and rejecting Israeli settlement policies in the area. Former Fatah Revolutionary Council member and journalist Mohammad Abdel Nabi Al-Lahham said Bethlehem Governorate is...