Archibishop Rowan Williams called for more backing for work undertaken by the ecumenical charity Friends of the Holy Land, which finances projects to assist the 200,000 Christians living mainly in Israel and the West Bank -- about one per cent of the population -- to stay in the region and not join the rising numbers emigrating.

Episcopal News Service 21th July 2011

AJC leaders expressed solidarity with Israel’s Christian minority and applauded the ongoing growth and vitality of Israel’s Christian population since its founding.

ACJ,21 July 2011

The Pew Forum on Religion has published the findings of a major survey of the opinions of Global Evangelical Protestant Leaders.

Significantly, the survey found that only 34% say they sympathize with Israel. A majority say they sympathize either with both sides equally (39%) or with neither side (13%).

Among evangelical leaders from the United States, even fewer sympathize more with Israel (30%) while nearly half (49%) say they sympathize with both sides equally.

Stephen Sizer, July 13, 2011

The hills of Ajloun came alive this summer with the sound of the internationally renown Christian singer Lydia Shadid.

Instead of their regular conference program, music was the main focus of the annual Amman Baptist Church’s summer conference this year. Shadid a Syrian-Lebanese singer who now lives in the American state of Texas, mesmerized the 100 strong congregants with a mix of old and new gospel songs. Accompanied by Jordan’s leading pianist, Salam Omeish, Shadid’s strong voice featured popular songs (most written by Egyptian writers) as well as songs written and composed by local Jordanian and other Middle Eastern hymn writers.

Daoud Kuttab, Special for Come and See

Jewish settlers, the Israeli government and “Christian Zionists” are the main cause of Palestinian Christian emigration from the Middle East, not the rise of Islamic extremism, according to the chiefs of two Palestinian Christian groups.
In protesting letters to Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, Anglican Priest Naim Ateek of Sabeel and Kairos Palestine Coordinator Rifat Odeh Kassis chastised the head of the Anglican Communion for citing increasing Islamic extremism as a key factor in the departure of Christians from the region.

Jeff Walton, July 7, 2011, Front Page Magazine

Born again leaders are in a dilemma: how to govern a worldly nation according to the teachings of Messiah and the cross, when all the kingdoms of this world are opposed to the Kingdom of God?

Howard Bass, Special for Come and See

On June 25, 2006 Hamas captured the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in a cross border raid. The story of Shalit is a sad one. It reflects the tragedy of an Israeli family, the helplessness of individuals, the enmity between two nations, and the violence that dominates over our region. It also points out that prisoners might lose their basic human rights such as seeing their beloved ones. As a Palestinian Christian who is not for any form of violence whether it is state violence or terrorism, I wonder about God’s message to Gilad Shalit!

Yohanna Katanacho, Special For Come and See

Pontifical Mission director says number of faithful in the region has stabilized and may even be increasing.
Those that stay have a lot of pride in being Christians in the holy land

by DAVID KERR (EWTN NEWS)

"We are deeply troubled by your recent comments regarding the situation of Christians in the Middle East. You have managed, diplomatically –instead of being prophetic, as one would expect you to be, not to mention the Israeli occupation, the separation wall, Israel confiscation of Palestinian land, its policies that violate freedom of movement and worship in Palestine".

"We are no longer expecting support from Church leaders around the world. Our Hope, Faith and Love come from elsewhere"


Rifat Odeh Kassis, Kairos Palestine Coordinator, PNN, June 20, 2011,