Israel

Former CCTV Staffer Sam Mayfield interviews Mayor Victor Bartarseh to get a perspective on what life is like for the citizens of this West Bank city.

Bethlehem has the highest rate of unemployment in the West Bank and is entirely surrounded by the separation wall. Mayor Bartarseh speaks candidly about the physical and psychological impact of living with the wall.

Since 1991 Burlington, Vermont and Bethlehem, Palestine have shared in a sister city relationship. The relationship includes Arad, Israel creating the first ever sister city pact among American, Palestinian, and Israeli communities. The relationship seeks to strengthen ties between the three cities through cultural, professional and educational exchanges.

Mayor Bartarseh talks about his hope for the sister city relationship in the future and explains that we can break down psychological barriers with cultural exchanges between the cities.