Bethlehem has been the subject of countless carols and Nativity plays, but the real story of the little town is far more complex. Bethlehem had a long history even before it became known as the site of Jesus Christ’s birth. Now it sits at the heart of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.
 With Christmas fast approaching, National Geographic reached out to Nicholas Blincoe, author of Bethlehem: Biography of a Town, to explore the legacy of the place where the famous manger lay.