Maronite Catholics attacked a newly-built, independent Baptist church near Beirut this month, mauling churchgoers preparing to host war refugees from southern Lebanon.

The violence flared up after of several weeks of tense public debate between Maronite and Baptist clergy. More than 20 men from Ajaltoun village attacked Christ Bible Baptist Church on August 2, slashing car tires, breaking the church door and windows, stealing computer and sound equipment, beating men and groping several women.

Compass Direct, Aug 22, 2006

Bernard Lewis, a professor emeritus at Princeton, called attention to Aug. 22 in an opinion piece in The Wall Street Journal earlier this month. In it, Lewis warned that, because of the date's historic significance to Muslims and because Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has referred to it within the context of nuclear development, Aug. 22 could be a time for more terrorist attacks against the West.

BY MICHAEL GARTLAND, The Post and Courier, Charleston, Aug 22, 2006

In February, the Palestinian Bible Society in Gaza City received a terrorist threat: close and leave Gaza by the end of the month or be bombed. The Bible Society staff counted the cost, surrendered their lives to Christ and did not leave despite the real threat of death. Labib Madanat, a Jordanian Christian who is the director of the Palestinian Bible Society, explains that the Bible Society is called to serve the Palestinian people ? including the Muslims. The Society's commitment to love and to serve their ?beloved? Muslims continues, uninterrupted.

Open Doors Press Release, Aug 15, 2006

Apart of a few moments of alarms and rocket strikes in the vicinity of the city, the Sunday before the cease-fire was mostly sad and quiet in Nazareth's deserted tourist center. This place is one of the most visited, interesting and beautiful tourism sites of the Galilee; an attraction drawing pilgrims from all over the world. In its center lies the Annunciation Basilica, which according to tradition stands above the ancient house in which Mary, mother of Jesus, has had her conception announced (yesterday, August 15, marked the catholic holiday of the virgin mother, celebrating the day she rose to the heavens).

Orna Coussin, Haaretz, Aug 16, 2006

The missiles have been hitting the Arab villages too," Dr. Hani Shehadeh told The Jerusalem Post Christian Edition from his home just four miles south of the Lebanese border. "As Bibi [former PM Binyamin] Netanyahu told the Knesset the other day, a Katyusha doesn't have eyes to see whether it's a Jew or an Arab."

Shehadeh, who pastors an Evangelical congregation, just sent an open letter to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, calling him "a man of peace" and assuring that Arab Christians in the Galilee are praying for Israel's leaders in this crisis.

International Christian Embassy Web site, July 20, 2006

As international negotiations to end the war in Lebanon proceeded slowly, Lebanese Baptist leaders questioned whether two Baptist schools?now housing hundreds of refugees displaced by the conflict?will be able to begin the academic year on time.

By Robert Marus, Associated Baptist Press, Aug 11, 2006

Christian Zionists, mostly from the United States, are trying to throw their weight behind one of the parties, in effect calling for the continuation of the war and carnage in Lebanon.

A small minority of evangelical Christians have entered the Middle East political arena with some of the most un-Christian statements I have ever heard. The latest gems come from people like Pat Robertson, the founder and chairman of the Christian Broadcasting Network, and Rev. John Hagee of Christians United for Israel.

by Daoud Kuttab, Palestine Network News, Aug 12, 2006

For weeks, Lebanese Baptists and other Christians have been housing, feeding - and loving - hundreds of mostly Shiite Muslim families driven from their homes in Beirut?s southern suburbs and towns farther south by the battles between Hezbollah guerrillas and the Israeli military.

During normal times, the two groups might never encounter one another, much less form friendships, in Lebanon?s uneasy mix of religious and ethnic factions. But these aren?t normal times.

Erich Bridge, Baptist Press, Aug 3, 2006

Christians in Gaza protested on Thursday against the ongoing Israeli military escalation and war in Palestine and Lebanon, and called for a just peace in the region. The protesters called for direct aid to the victims of the Israeli military aggression.

The protest was held in the Greek Orthodox Church in Gaza City on Thursday. Palestinian Prime Minister, Ismail Haniyya, from the ruling Hamas movement, and several Palestinians officials, participated in the protest.

Saed Bannoura, International Middle East Media Center - Friday, 28 July 2006