Religious leaders met on Wednesday in Jerusalem in a united protest against a gay pride festival planned there in August. From left: Sheik Abed es- Salem Menasra, deputy mufti of Jerusalem; the Rev. Michel Sabbagh, the Latin patriarch; the Rev. Aris Shirvanian, the Armenian patriarch; Rabbi Shlomo Amar, the Sephardic chief rabbi; and Rabbi Yona Metzger, the Ashkenazi chief rabbi. The man at right was not identified.

Interfaith agreement is unusual in Israel. The leaders' joint opposition was initially generated by the Rev. Leo Giovinetti, an evangelical pastor from San Diego who is both a veteran of the American culture war over homosexuality and a frequent visitor to Israel, where he has formed relationships with rabbis and politicians.

Laurie Goodstein, Greg Myre, NY Times, March 31, 2005

Lots of voices have been heard lately for the need to replace the corrupt Greek Orthodox Patriarch in Jerusalem - after the latest scandal of the sale of land to Jewish extremists in the old city of Jerusalem.

Can something be done? A Palestinian Christian living in Australia writes some practical ways the Greek Orthodox Church can be liberated from Greek domination: "Engage the Antiochian Patriarchate, the Greeks, the Islamic Groups and the Catholic Church"

Fuad Abaid, Special For "Come and See", April 10, 2005

A prominent African American evangelical leader meets at the Knesset this week members of the Christian Allies Caucus, the influential lobby group that draws on membership from six political factions, mostly from the exterme right in Israel.

It is no surprise that the African American community that was discriminated against in the 1950's and 1960's would want to make ties with the liberal Jewish Community. What is a shame is that this leader fall in the trap of the racist "Christian Cactus" group that supports continual Apartheid in the West Bank and Gaza, and discrimination against Arabs in Israel.

By Daphna Berman, Haaretz, April 8, 2005

A group of Palestinian Christian leaders concerned for the dramatic situation of the Christians in the land of the Holy One write an open letter to Bishops and Church Leaders around the world.

"In contrast to 10 years ago our community now represents less than 2 percent of the population and continues to decrease at an alarming rate. This is largely due to emigration. Many Palestinian Christians are leaving as a result of the ongoing conflict"

The Palestine Cronicle, April, 8, 2005

The next pope will have a hard act to follow in the Middle East, where Muslims, Jews and Christians alike mourned the loss of a man they saw as a messenger of peace and tolerance.

Pope John Paul II won a place in the hearts of many in the region by starting off the millennium with a tour of the Holy Land, the first by a pontiff in 36 years. His repeated calls for an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and his opposition to the war in Iraq also earned him favor here.

By Paul Garwood, AP, April 4, 2005

The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Sheikh Mohamad Sayyed Tantawi mourned the death of Pope Johan Paul II of the Vatican.

In statements Sunday, the Grand Imam said the death of the Pontiff is a great loss for the Orthodox Church and Muslim World as he was an icon of peace and love.

He added that Pope John Paul II was a peace advocate who adopted a moderate stand vis-a-vis the Palestinian and Iraqi issues.

Regional-Vatican, Politics, 4/5/2005

The word "Allah," written in Arabic, was found etched on the southern corner of the Temple Mount's eastern wall in Jerusalem on Wednesday morning.

By Nadav Shragai, Haaretz, March 30, 2005

Israel's Elite paper, Haaretz, highlights the subject of Christians in Israel and tries to draw attention to this subject, while this community is going through an identity crisis.

This is the first article in a series on this subject: "In violent situations and also politically, Christians will never win because they're a minority within a minority"

By Yoav Stern and Jack Khoury, Haaretz, March 22, 2005

The Greek Orthodox Church is investigating the reported sale of sensitive Jerusalem property to Jewish organizations, a church official said Sunday, as Palestinian Christians staged a protest.

The reported sale has sparked an uproar among Palestinian followers of the church, who accuse the Greek leadership of betraying the Palestinian cause.

By LARA SUKHTIAN, AP, March 20, 2005