The Church of Scotland has called on European authorities and the World Council of Churches to clearly identify products from illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian lands, a church official said Wednesday.

The decision by the church's General Assembly, meeting in Edinburgh, came after delegates were informed that the church had no investments related to what it regards as oppression of the Palestinians.

The Assoicated Press, May 24, 2006

In a recent conference, Brother Andrew said that terrorists are not born but made. He adds that they become terrorists because no one cares for their souls. Light Force is a book that prompts its readers to be concerned about the souls of terrorists. It also wants its readers to be involved in the struggles of their brothers and sisters in the Lebanese and Palestinian churches.

Light Force is a fair book that is not marked by any mindless emotionalism. Instead, it reflects a strong commitment to Christ, to supporting God's people in Lebanon and the Palestinian territories, to loving both Arabs and Jews, and to evangelizing Muslims.

Yohanna Katanacho, Special for "Come and See", May 23, 2006

A Jewish writer is so worried by "Jews for Jesus" giving out tracts in Israel and Proselytizing the people of Israel.

He says that the movement is taking advantage of the weaknesses of Judaism in our day, in order to further weaken it. He writes in Israeli daily Haaretz: "There aren't that many of us left. There are 2 billion Christians in the world, and nearly a billion and a quarter Muslims. There are barely 14 million Jews left alive on this planet. In 1933, that number was 15.3 million. Leave us alone".

This article is brought to you unchanged - as is - to show the perspective of many Israeli Jews towards Jesus and the challenge in reaching out to the Jewish people.

By Bradley Burston, Haaretz, May 23, 2006

Canon Naim Ateek, a Palestinian Anglican priest and the founder and director of the Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Centre in Jerusalem, will receive the 2006 John Nevin Sayre Award from the Peace Fellowship of the Episcopal Church in the United States. The award is named after a founding member of the U.S. branch of the Fellowship of Reconciliation

Sabeel is a movement of Palestinian Christians working with mainstream churches in North America and Europe to host regional and international conferences, witness trips to the Holy Land, and theological education.

Ekklesia, May 17, 2006

The Palestinian Bible Society's bookshop in Gaza reopened on Monday 3 April, after a five-week closure in response to terrorists' threats to bomb the building, reports Hanna Massad, pastor of Gaza Baptist Church.

Hanna's wife, Suhad, is the Bible Society bookshop's director. She said the bookshop reopened with permission from the Gaza Interior Ministry, over the objections of the building's owner.

Today was very special day for us after we confronted the pressure and the power of the kingdom of darkness face to face, especially in the last four days," Hanna wrote in an e-mail to prayer partners.

"We experienced the power of answered prayer. Thank you for praying with us and for us."

Open Doors Web site, April 7, 2006

Franciscan monks, German tourists and Filipino foreign workers crowded the Old City of Jerusalem's cobblestone streets and its ancient churches yesterday to celebrate Easter.

Thousands of pilgrims packed the narrow alleyways of the Old City to mark Jesus' resurrection - more visitors than in recent years, reflecting a downturn in Palestinian-Israeli violence that kept tourists away.

AP, April 16, 2006

Yosef Suleiman is an Israeli citizen and a resident of Haifa who has found himself in a difficult situation: He must choose between accepting the verdict of his religious court or the laws of Israel.

Suleiman, a Maronite Christian, wants a divorce, but cannot afford the alimony the Church ruled he should pay. He cannot appeal the ecclesiastical ruling, because the Maronite High Court is in Lebanon, an enemy country.

Yoav Stern, Haaretz, April 17, 2006

The Old Testament was written originally in Hebrew. So you might think that the millions of Hebrew-speaking youth in Israel would be able to read and understand it.

But HaGefen Publishing, a Christian publisher in Israel, has taken note of vast differences between the biblical Hebrew of the Old Testament and the modern Hebrew of today that make it very difficult for Israeli youth to understand the Bible. HaGefen is attempting to remedy the problem by publishing the first-ever translation of the Old Testament in modern Hebrew.

By David Roach, Baptist Press, April 7, 2006

Israeli President Moshe Katsav presented Dr. Ousama Moalem, the Physics teacher for the Nazareth Baptist School, an award for "Distinguished Teacher" in recognition of his efforts "in leading and giving instruction for both science and research projects". The committee that elected Dr. Moalem for this award was comprised of representatives from each of the following bodies: the Ministry of Education, the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Tel-Aviv University, Intel Ltd., the Museum of Science in Jerusalem, and others.

This is the first time such an award has been granted to an Arab.

Special for "Come and See", April 1, 2006