PA Minister of Tourism claims Israeli tour guides "fabricate the Palestinian history" in Bethlehem
Headline: "[PA] Minister of Tourism to Wattan: [There are] secret deals, and the Israeli guides are fabricating the truth"
"In response to a question about Israeli tour guides that enter Bethlehem with tourist groups from the world and fabricate the Palestinian history and geography, [PA] Minister [of Tourism and Antiquities Rula] Ma'ay'a said: 'Since I took up the position of Minister of Tourism in 2012, this has been one of the central issues and challenges that we have dealt with. I admit that there is a problem with this issue. We have tried to get around it, for example by officially asking the states that visit Palestine to take a Palestinian guide, but preventing the entry of Israeli guides was a difficult step, and we could not do it.' She continued: 'If it had been denied to them from the beginning, it would have been easier now.'
In response to the question as to whether the Ministry of Tourism is taking any steps of punishment against any Israeli tour guide that fabricates the history in Bethlehem, she responded: 'We cannot put them on trial when they are with us, but we have held many of them back and banned them from speaking in Bethlehem. We put Palestinian tour guides in those groups in their place, but there is nothing that constitutes a real deterrent.'
Ma'ay'a said: 'During past years the tourism to Palestine took place through the Israeli bureau of tourism, and [tourists were] staying mainly in Israeli hotels, but following our work and activities together with the Palestinian private sector, now 45% of the tourism comes to the region through the Palestinian bureau of tourism, and the bureau on its part appoints a Palestinian tour guide, which has helped us spread the true Palestinian version [of history].'"
"In response to a question about Israeli tour guides that enter Bethlehem with tourist groups from the world and fabricate the Palestinian history and geography, [PA] Minister [of Tourism and Antiquities Rula] Ma'ay'a said: 'Since I took up the position of Minister of Tourism in 2012, this has been one of the central issues and challenges that we have dealt with. I admit that there is a problem with this issue. We have tried to get around it, for example by officially asking the states that visit Palestine to take a Palestinian guide, but preventing the entry of Israeli guides was a difficult step, and we could not do it.' She continued: 'If it had been denied to them from the beginning, it would have been easier now.'
In response to the question as to whether the Ministry of Tourism is taking any steps of punishment against any Israeli tour guide that fabricates the history in Bethlehem, she responded: 'We cannot put them on trial when they are with us, but we have held many of them back and banned them from speaking in Bethlehem. We put Palestinian tour guides in those groups in their place, but there is nothing that constitutes a real deterrent.'
Ma'ay'a said: 'During past years the tourism to Palestine took place through the Israeli bureau of tourism, and [tourists were] staying mainly in Israeli hotels, but following our work and activities together with the Palestinian private sector, now 45% of the tourism comes to the region through the Palestinian bureau of tourism, and the bureau on its part appoints a Palestinian tour guide, which has helped us spread the true Palestinian version [of history].'"