Description:
Bethlehem is a town in the Palestinian Territories. The town is located in the Bethlehem Governorate. Bethlehem was founded in the 5th century BC by the Canaanites and was known as Beit Luba. The town was captured by the Romans in 63 BC and became the capital of the province of Palestine. Bethlehem was destroyed by the Crusaders in 1099 and was rebuilt by the Fatimid caliph al-Hakim in the 11th century. Bethlehem was captured by the Ottoman Turks in 1517 and became part of the Jaffa Vilayet. The town was captured by the British in 1917 and became part of the Palestine Mandate. Bethlehem became a part of the newly independent Palestinian state in 1948. Bethlehem has been the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate since 1967.
