Bethlehem

==Transportation==
[[File:Bethlehem-street2.JPG|thumb|upright|A street in Bethlehem]]

Bethlehem has three bus stations owned by private companies which offer service to Jerusalem, Beit Jala, Beit Sahour, [[Hebron]], [[Nahalin]], [[Battir]], [[al-Khader]], [[al-Ubeidiya]] and [[Beit Fajjar]]. There are two taxi stations that make trips to Beit Sahour, Beit Jala, Jerusalem, [[Tuqu']] and [[Herodium]]. There are also two car rental departments: Murad and 'Orabi. Buses and taxis with West Bank licenses are not allowed to enter Israel, including Jerusalem, without a permit.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bethlehem-city.org/English/City/TransSys.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071227075741/http://www.bethlehem-city.org/English/City/TransSys.php |archive-date=December 27, 2007 |title=Bethlehem Public Transport System |access-date=January 22, 2008}} Bethlehem Municipality.</ref>

The Israeli construction of the [[Israeli West Bank barrier|West Bank barrier]] has affected Bethlehem politically, socially, and economically. The barrier is located along the northern side of the town's built-up area, within distance of houses in the Aida [[refugee camp]] on one side, and the Jerusalem municipality on the other.<ref name=OCHA/> Most entrances and exits from the Bethlehem agglomeration to the rest of the [[West Bank]] are currently subjected to [[Israeli checkpoint]]s and roadblocks. The level of access varies based on Israeli security directives. Travel for Bethlehem's Palestinian residents from the West Bank into [[Jerusalem]] is regulated by a permit-system.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://unispal.un.org/unispal.nsf/9a798adbf322aff38525617b006d88d7/b45e8d8caacda74785256dbb0062e7b9?OpenDocument |title=Impact of Israel's separation barrier on affected West Bank communities – OCHA update report #2 |date=September 30, 2003 |access-date=August 4, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140109191959/http://unispal.un.org/unispal.nsf/9a798adbf322aff38525617b006d88d7/b45e8d8caacda74785256dbb0062e7b9?OpenDocument |archive-date=January 9, 2014}}</ref> Palestinians require a permit to enter the Jewish holy site of [[Rachel's Tomb]]. Israeli citizens are barred from entering Bethlehem and the nearby biblical [[Solomon's Pools]].<ref name=OCHA/>