How should bible-believing Christians align themselves in the Jewish-Palestinian conflict? There are biblical reasons for treating both sides with compassionate public justice in the same way that disputes should be settled between nations generally. In other words, the Bible does not teach us to be partial today to Israel or to the Palestinians because either has a special divine status. Israel has a unique place in God's plans, but this status does not warrant a claim, at the present time, to divine prerogatives.

Israel was chosen by God from all the peoples of the world to be the focus of special blessing in the history of redemption which climaxed in Jesus Christ, the Messiah. "The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth" (Deuteronomy 7:6).

By John Piper, 2002, WorldMagazine

"It is undeniable that the Palestinian people- Muslim and Christians- have suffered in pursuit of a homeland. For more than sixty years they have endured the pain of dislocation, Many wait in refugee camps in the West Bank, Gaza and neighboring lands of a life of peace and security that they have never been able to lead. They endure the daily humiliations- large and small that come with occupation. So let there be no doubt: the situation of the Palestinian people is intolerable."

The above words were spoken by the President of the United States Barack Obama in Cairo to millions of people around the world. Never before had a US president even admitted the existence of Palestinian Christians let alone speak of the suffering of Palestinian Christians.

Daoud Kuttab, The Huffington Post, Jun 8, 2009

Three Messianic Jews on Wednesday petitioned the High Court of Justice to force the Interior Ministry and the Jewish Agency to allow them to immigrate to Israel under the Law of Return, and halt what they call "the humiliating and discriminatory treatment" by the government.

The petitioners, John Christopher from California and Nina and Kevin Ayres, a husband and wife from the U.K., identify themselves as Christians. They base their petition on the assertion that they have documents showing their grandparents were Jewish. In their petition, submitted by attorney Michael Decker, they claim this makes them eligible to immigrate to Israel (or make aliyah) according to the Law of Return - regardless of their current religious denomination. Barring them from realizing this right, they say, is illegal and discriminatory.

Cnaan Liphshiz, Haaretz, May 23, 2009

The joke, if that's what it is, goes like this: "You'll have to forgive us Jews for being a little nervous. Two thousand years of Christian love have worn down our nerves."

That says it all, doesn't it? The scars of antisemitism and missionary activity, the pathos-drenched sense of humor, the contempt for Christianity - this is certainly how I regarded our local majority religion as I was growing up. When I was a child, Christianity was like the big, stupid bully: at once idiotic, and overwhelmingly powerful. Couldn't they see how ridiculous their religion was? A virgin birth? Santa Claus? An Easter Bunny? A messiah who got killed, but actually died for our sins? And yet, these were the people running our country, telling us which days we get off from school and which we don't, and playing their insidious music every winter.

By Jay Michaelson, The Forward, May 13, 2009

The visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Jordan and Palestine is a perfect opportunity to review and stress the role of Christian Arabs in the peace process and their strong support for peace with justice.

To begin with, it is important for all to know that Arabs have been in Palestine and Jordan before the arrival of Islam and Christianity. References to the word "Arab" and its derivatives are mentioned hundreds of times in the Old and New Testaments. The biblical figure of Job is said to be Arab; Arabs were among the many attending the sermon on the Day of Pentecost by St. Peter, and were among the 3,000 who then became Christians. Acts II refers to Arabs having heard the sermon in their own tongue.

Daoud Kuttab, The Jerusalem Post, May 12, 2009

Dr. Salim Munayer is the first recipient of the Christian International Scholarship foundation (CISF) scholar-leader award, for his work as founder and director of Musalaha Ministry of Reconciliation based in Jerusalem, and for his service as Academic Dean of Bethlehem Bible College from 1989-2008.

The Board of Directors of the CISF voted unanimously for Dr. Munayer to be the first recipient of this award.

Special For Come and See, May 8, 2009

Pope Benedict XVI has sought better ties between Christians and Muslims. But in Fuhays, Jordan, devotion to the land comes first.

"In 1950, Christians made up about 30% of the Jordanian population. That's dropped to less than 4% in this overwhelmingly Islamic nation where Jesus was baptized and Moses was buried."

By Jeffrey Fleishman, LA Times, May 10, 2009

David Coffey is president of the Baptist World Alliance. The following is his column as it appeared in the April-June 2009 issue of Baptist World, a quarterly publication of the Baptist World Alliance

"Sixty years ago, Christians constituted more than 25 percent of the overall Palestinian population in the Holy Land and almost 80 percent of the southern triangle of Bethlehem, Beit Sahour and Beit Jala. Today, those numbers have dwindled alarmingly, due largely, though not exclusively, to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In a nutshell, Christians have lost hope in a land that once witnessed the birth of Jesus – the Hope of the world".

David Coffey, Baptist World, April 21, 2009

The Pope's trip to the Holy Land is in two weeks now, and the Israeli and Jordanian governments have just set up two Internet sites related to the event. Their respective Ministries of Tourism are honouring their guest from the Vatican by going online.

Comparing each site is revealing. Have a look.


by Giorgio Bernardelli, The Holy Land Review, Milan - April 23, 2009