When Rev. Fahed Abu-Akel was growing up in Kufur Yaseef in Galilee, in what used to be Palestine, he never imagined that his Christian upbringing would prepare him to lead one of the most influential mainline denominations in America.

"I heard the cry of the Palestinian Christians asking us to pray for them and asking us to have solidarity with them to stay on the land". "We need to say to Israel, 'We love you; we support you; we support your security; but what you are doing to the people in the West Bank is wrong,'"

By Andrew J. Skerritt The Herald, Published January 31? 2003)

"There are so few Christian visitors it was even possible to get a room at the last moment at Christ Church's hostel and St. Andrews Scottish Hospice, favorites of Christian tourists".
Patricia Golan writes about Christmas in the Jerusalem Baptist church. The Church gives a special tribute to Filipino workers in Israel who were part of a candlelight evening.

By Patricia Golan, Baptist Press, Dec 31, 2002

A group of thirty-four youth leaders, both from Israel and Palestinian areas, traveled to Turkey for renewal, retreat and training in youth ministry and reconciliation.

This initiative was born out of Musalaha's networking within the youth ministries of the Palestinian Christian and Israeli Messianic communities, and a recognition of the need for more training in this area

by Evan Thomas, Musalaha staff and participants, Special For Come and See, Oct 18

Amnon Rubinstein is one of the leading Professors of International Law in Israel. He quit the Kenesset lately after 20 years of active work with Meretz and Shinoi.
He writes an interesting article about the Christians in Israel.

By Amnon Rubinstein, Haaretz, October 4, 2002

"I was in Ramallah hours after the Israeli troops left and the day they were expected to return following a suicide bombing south of Tel Aviv".
"I was in Bethlehem during the siege and the standoff at the Church of the Nativity. I was in Palestinian East Jerusalem".
"Now, I know Israel and Palestine more fully. Do I no longer love Israel? God forbid. But I love it more realistically and responsibly.".

By Ron Brackin, ASSIST News Service, May 27, 2002

LA Times photographer Carolyn Cole writes about her experience as the only photographer inside the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem

LA Times, May 11, 2002

An interesting discussion of theologians was held at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Participants cautioned Christians against blind support for Israel. All panelists agreed that Israel should be held morally accountable.

Baptist News, May 3, 2002, By Michael Foust

As Jobs and Freedom Are Lost, Hardships of Incursion Outweigh Appeal of Living in Holy City.
"I want to live a normal life, where my children are not afraid," said Grace Handal, 27. "Where shells don't go over our house and tanks don't come into our yard. My kids used to draw pictures of birds. Now they draw tanks."

By Doug Struck, Washington Post, Monday, May 6, 2002

Andrew Bush and his wife Karen serve in the village of Bir Zeit, the home of the famous Palestinian University.

They challenge believers to get the whole story. "For Christians that come to Israel and make it on to the West Bank, they'll realize they've only been receiving part of the story and have been poorly informed."

By Jeremy Reynalds, ASSIST News Service, May 3, 2002

A new generation of potential missionaries needs to hear the fearless voice of Finlay Graham, Southern Baptists' first missionary to Lebanon. Graham, founder of the Arab Baptist seminary in Beirut, served nearly 40 years in the always-volatile Middle East

Baptist Press News, April 12, 2002