The restoration of the Grotto in the Church of the Nativity is moving forward following Presidential Decision No. (1) of 2024 issued by His Excellency President Mahmoud Abbas regarding the restoration of the Grotto and the formation of a specialized committee for this purpose. The Committee operates in full coordination with the Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs, as part of the national efforts to safeguard Christian holy sites and preserve its historical presence in the Holy Land. This effort honors the spiritual and national heritage of the site while fully respecting the historic Status Quo rights of the Greek Orthodox, Custody of the Holy Land, and Armenian Orthodox Churches.
The Committee is chaired by Dr. Khouloud Daibes (Member of the Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs) and includes members: Dr. Nabil Kassis, Dr. Nazmi Al-Jubeh, Eng. Imad Nassar, Mr. George Al-Ama, and representatives from the Bethlehem Municipality and the Centre for Cultural Heritage Preservation.
