If pilgrims worshipping in the Church of the Nativity look up at the roof, they will see a battlefield threatening the future of one of Christendom's most holy sites.

Squabbling over crucial roof repairs between the three Christian communities who share custodianship of Jesus's birthplace is endangering the 1,500-year-old basilica.

By Tim Butcher, The Telegraph

They have come to Israel from Russia and Ukraine. They are more numerous than the members of the historical Churches, but they are not included in any tally. Observant Jews, Orthodox Christians, and Catholics are all competing for them.

by Sandro Magister, Chiesa, Dec 13, 2005

Law states life of terminally ill person who does not wish to continue living will not be extended artificially; health minister: ?This is one of most important laws passed by Knesset. It represents major moral value for terminally ill and their families?

Ilan Marciano, Ynetnews, Dec 6, 2005

The founder of the US first Arabic Christian TV channel says the programming is attracting phone inquiries from curious Muslims.

The Southern California-based channel Alkarma, whose name means "the vineyard" in Arabic, premiered Oct. 17. It is the brainchild of Samuel Estefanos, an Egyptian-born businessman.

The channel gets 10 to 15 calls a day from Arabic speakers with Muslim surnames who are intrigued that Alkarma would give away a movie known as the "Jesus Film" and other materials.

By Julia Duin, THE WASHINGTON TIMES, November 26, 2005

The Jerusalem-based Palestinian human rights lawyer and peace activist writes about the unique situation of Christian Arabs:

"Those who expected Arab Christians of siding with the 'Christian' West, for the outsiders, were consistently proven mistaken. To the contrary, the unique position of Arab Christians, with their knowledge and understanding of the West have always been used to promote the interests of the Arab world and press for its positions at every turn of the road".

Jonathan Kuttab, Al-Hayat, Nov 7, 2005

Bethlehem, a place of Christian pilgrimage for centuries, will soon be encircled by Israel's security barrier. Is the town to become no more than a museum among ancient shrines? John Harris meets the people campaigning to keep it alive

Saturday November 5, 2005, The Guardian

Senior officials in the U.S. Catholic Church are "following with interest" the meeting that took place between President Moshe Katsav and Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican on Thursday.

The officials knew Katsav would raise the issue of the unfinished negotiations between Israel and the Holy See on the status of Church assets in the Holy Land. The American Church officials wish to learn whether they will be required to once more intervene in the negotiations in order to get the desired results.

This long and involved story can be summarized very briefly: Since establishing diplomatic ties some 12 years ago, Israel and the Vatican have been unable to tie up the few loose ends in their agreements, which have lasted so long primarily because of foot-dragging by successive Israeli governments.

Shmuel Rosner, Chief U.S. Correspondent, Haaretz, Nov 17, 2005

The Israeli media is busy trying to understand the weird relation between certain Israeli Parliament Members and some Evangelical leaders. Here is another report by Lili Galili from Haaretz.

"Contrary to the contention that "Bibi is good for the Jews," which has yet to be definitively proven, it is already clear that the Christians are good for Bibi − Benjamin Netanyahu. Last Monday, at the height of the drama over the appointment of new Likud ministers, Netanyahu found a few minutes to go to the lecture hall at the Knesset to meet with the evangelical preacher John Hagee at an event organized by "the parliamentary lobby for relations with Christians."

By Lily Galili, Haaretz, Nov 11, 2005

Egypt's beleaguered Christian Coptic minority is to launch its own satellite television this month, but even some Copts fear the church's patronage of the channel will fan sectarian strife. In the aftermath of deadly riots in Alexandria on October 21 religious Copts see the creation of the channel as an essential tool to assert their repressed identity.

By Agence France Presse (AFP), Nov 3, 2005