Rashell Habib, Inner West Courier, Tuesday 21 August, 2007
A five-person delegation from the Palestinian city of Bethlehem is hoping to arrive in Australia this week, after overcoming reported attempts by Israeli officials in Tel Aviv to delay visa applications.
The delegation includes Bethlehem Mayor Victor Batarseh, his wife Marcelle, Father Amjad Sabbara from the Church of the Nativity and lawyer Anton Salman.
The delegation plans to arrive in Sydney on Thursday to sign a sister city agreement with Marrickville Council.
Claims by the Jewish community that Marrickville Council could inadvertently fund the Islamic terror group Hamas through its sister city relationship with Bethlehem have been strongly rejected by the council which has voted to formalise the sister city agreement.
Speaking to the Courier from Bethlehem before his visit, Mr Batarseh said his group had been waiting for the visa application process to be approved.
"We sent out applications for the visas and we called Tel Aviv and asked about the visas and they said we just have to wait, so we wait," he said.
Mr Batarseh said he was looking forward to coming to Australia to clear any misconception sections of the media and other organisations had put forward about Bethlehem.
"After everything that has been said and written about us we are looking forward to coming and making things clear," he said. "There are all these things being said against myself and council and they are all lies.
"We are peace-seeking people and we intend to let people know our exact position, that we seek peace and justice."
Marrickville resident and member of Friends of Bethlehem Jennifer Killen said the organisation was alarmed to hear reports of alleged Israeli officials' attempts to delay the visa applications.
"It is ridiculous, Mr Batarseh has travelled around the world including America and only recently was in Glasgow to formalise a city agreement," Ms Killen said.
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