The Times of Israel publishes an opinion piece by Mimi Gewirtz arguing that the economic collapse in Bethlehem is driving its Christian population abroad, leaving behind weakened institutions and a more fragile Judea and Samaria. Gewirtz warns that Israel cannot afford to lose this community.
In an opinion piece for The Times of Israel, commentator Mimi Gewirtz argues that Bethlehem's Christian community is facing an existential crisis, with economic collapse driving residents abroad. The piece warns that the city's institutions are being weakened, and that a more fragile Judea and Samaria overall is the result. Gewirtz frames the departure as a strategic loss for Israel, which she argues 'cannot afford to lose them.' The article appears amid a broader trend of demographic shifts in Bethlehem, which The Zioneer has previously reported as a city transitioning from a Christian-majority to a Muslim-majority population over recent decades, while remaining a key site for Christian pilgrimage. As an Area A city under Palestinian Authority control, Bethlehem's economic struggles are compounded by limited Israeli access and security concerns.
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