10.25377/sussex.7253147.v1 Freja Howat-Maxted Freja Howat-Maxted Leila Sansour Leila Sansour Jacob Norris Jacob Norris Military sand bags in the courtyard of the Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem, Palestine, 1939 University of Sussex 2020 Nativity Church collection British Mandate in Bethlehem Nativity Church Bethlehem churches Bethlehem architecture Bethlehem World War II Middle Eastern and African History Middle Eastern and North African history 2020-01-30 12:07:59 Figure https://sussex.figshare.com/articles/figure/Military_sand_bags_in_the_courtyard_of_the_Church_of_the_Nativity_Bethlehem_Palestine_1939/7253147 This is a digital reproduction of an image held at the Library of Congress. <div><br></div><div>This photograph shows a close up of military sand bags in the courtyard of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. As a site of fundamental religious importance, the church has come under siege during times of war and occupation throughout its history. The most recent case of this was the Siege of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem in 2002 by the Israel Defense Forces when Palestinian militants sought refuge in the church. </div><div><br></div><div>This image exists as part of the Nativity Church collection within the Library of Congress project of the Planet Bethlehem Archive.</div>