Palestinians Resist Israel’s Efforts To Take Over Solomon’s Pools
Just days after Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich stormed Bethlehem’s Solomon’s Pools in late May, accompanied by hardline Knesset member Zvi Sukkot, both of whom went swimming in one of the pools in an act of provocation, the local Palestinian community responded. A group of residents from Dheisheh refugee camp arrived at the site, Palestinian flags in hand, and jumped in. The community’s response was more than just a knee-jerk reaction to the Israelis — it was an act of defiance.
Since that first protest, the ancient site has become almost unrecognizable.