Every Christmastime, there's an update on the status of Bethlehem, the town where the Bible says Jesus was born. Tourists? No tourists? Street fighting? Quiet? Bethlehem has been battered, revived, battered again and revived again in more cycles than I can count.

The first time I visited, in 1971, it was a quick few miles hike from the southern edge of Jerusalem, through a dip in the ancient landscape, past centuries old olive groves. My last visit was in 1999 when the town was in a building boom and many had high hopes that prosperity on the West Bank would contribute to more peaceful days.

USA Today, Faith and Reason, USA Today, Dec 20, 2008

The National Council of Churches has released a brochure castigating Christian Zionism as a dangerous movement that fosters fear and hatred of Muslims and non-Western Christians, as well as endangering peace in the Middle East.

Jim Sibley, a Southern Baptist leader whose career has focused on Baptist-Jewish relations, set forth an opposite view in assessing the brochure: The NCC resorts to caricature and slander, particularly when accusing evangelicals of regarding Jewish people "as pawns in a cosmic drama of divine vengeance and retribution."

Tammi Reed Ledbetter, Baptist Press, Dec 18, 2008

As Christians around the world celebrate the birth of Christ, CURE International continues work on a $4.25 million specialty surgical and training center in the town of His birth.

"Over 2000 years ago, a baby born in Bethlehem brought hope to the world," said Dr. Scott Harrison, CURE's founder, president, and chief executive officer. "As we look again toward Bethlehem this Christmas season, the city of Jesus' birth will soon be a place of hope for disabled children. They will have the hope of healing."

MNN, Dec 17, 2008

A director of the US Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations and his wife were detained Sunday at Ben-Gurion Airport by Interior Ministry officials amid allegations he is involved in illegal Christian missionary activity.

It is illegal in Israel to proselytize among minors. It is also prohibited to engage in missionary activities among adults when economic incentives are offered.

After over eight hours of detention, Jamie Cowen, a former president of the union, and his wife, Stacy, were permitted to enter Israel only after they agreed to sign a document that they would not engage in missionary activities during their stay.

By MATTHEW WAGNER, Jerusalem Post, Dec 15, 2008

SAT-7 KIDS, the first and only Arabic Christian satellite TV channel dedicated exclusively to the children of the Middle East and North Africa, celebrates its first anniversary on December 10, 2008.

The channel launched as a Christmas present to the millions of children living in the Arab world during the 2007 holiday season, and this year SAT-7 KIDS will continue to bless viewers with a variety of Christmas specials. Over the next weeks, children in the region can watch Arabic cartoons (such as VeggieTales® “The Toy Who Stole Christmas” and Hermie & Friends® “Fruit Cake Christmas”) films including “Legend of the Candy Cane” and “The Miracle Maker” and many locally produced specials including SAT-7 KIDS’s first ever live telecast.

SAT7 Press release, Dec 4, 2008

The following is the statement issued by Sabeel's seventh International Conference Held in Nazareth and Jerusalem on NOVEMBER 12-19, 2008 under the title "THE NAKBA: MEMORY, REALITY AND BEYOND"

Special for Come and See, Nov 22, 2008

In his column in the Palestinian daily Al-Ayyam, 'Abd Al-Nasser Al-Najjar criticized the persecution of Christians in Arab countries,
with a particular emphasis on the Christian population of the Palestinian Authority.
From Memri web site, Nov 12, 2008

BibleLands has been at work in Israel and the Occupied Territories, Lebanon and Egypt for more than 150 years, working with indigenous partners to help ease the suffering of impoverished communities.

In Israel and the Occupied Territories in particular, that work continues in the face of daily acts of terrorism, military action, curfews, travel restrictions and perpetual shortages of the most basic necessities.

Christian Today Interview, October 7, 2008

Around 300 Catholics gather for mass every Saturday evening in the home of the Nigerian ambassador to Israel, in the luxury neighborhood of Kfar Shemariahu, north of Tel-Aviv.

The people in attendance are mainly Filipinos and Indians who are domestic workers in the area of Herzliya, Herzlya Ha Pituah and Nof Yam.

Written by Fr. Arturo Vasaturo ofm

Director of the Holy Land Secondary School in Jaffa, Cutodia.org, Nov 20, 2008