The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and other Christian leaders have told President Bush they are increasingly concerned about a security wall the Israeli government is building around the Holy Land.

The leaders say the barrier, which Israel is building to protect itself from terrorists, is dividing communities, complicating the peace process, unfairly taking land from churches and preventing Christian groups from functioning properly.

By Amy Fagan, THE WASHINGTON TIMES, April 19, 2004

Atomic spy Mordechai Vanunu left Shikma prison on Wednesday after 18 years in jail, on his way to his first stop after his release - St. George Anglican Church in Jerusalem.

Vanunu was greeted by Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem Riah Abu al-Assal who said Vanunu is an Anglican Christian and expressed his desire to offer thanks to God for his release from prison as his first act as a free man.

By Etgar Lefkovits, Jerusalem Post and "Come and See", Apr 21, 2004

An amazing newsletter from a Missionary in Qatar: "Possibly the most significant day we have seen in all our years of living in the Middle East took place recently. To everyone's shock and surprise, The Passion was released today here in Qatar".
In two short hours, more Qataris heard the Gospel than we have been able to reach in 3 years.

Read this encouraging newsletter. Names of missionaries have been omitted.

Special for Come and See, April 13, 2004

Roman soldiers bearing torches and spears emerged from an olive grove, shoving and kicking a stumbling Jesus in a Passion play in Nazareth.

The outdoor performances by local Arab Christians and volunteers from the United States and Europe take place in Nazareth Village - a life-size replica of a first century farming village

By JASON KEYSER, Associated Press Writer, April 7, 2004

Dr. David Jaeger, the Franciscan spokesman in Israel said that Israel's refusal to grant residence visas to more than 130 Catholic Church delegates is straining relations with the Vatican.

For the first time since Israel was established, priests have been unable to renew their visas to stay in the country

By Ruth Sinai, Haaretz, March 30, 2004

A top Shi'ite Muslim cleric has said that Kuwait should lift a ban on Mel Gibson's controversial film "The Passion of The Christ" as it exposes the role of Jews in his death.

"Come and See" Editor notes that the movie has been allowed in many other Moslem countries in the Gulf. The movie has been one of the best outreach tools ever in these countires.

Reuters, March 27, 2004

The following is a speach given by Lord Carey, Former leader of the Anglican Church, at the Gregorian University, Rome, on Thursday, March 25 in which he criticised Islamic culture and regimes.

"Come and See" brings this speach in full.

Times Online, March 26, 2004

Mel Gibson's controversial film drawing sizeable audience in Syrian and Lebanese capitals.

Certain sequences of the movie are in Aramaic, the language that was dominant in the Holy Land at the time of Christ and which can still be heard in certain towns in Syria, notably Maalula and Saadnaya near Damascus.

"Some members of the audience could not conceal their astonishment on hearing some expressions - such as Ya Illah (My God) - that are close to Arabic"

By Henri Mamarbachi - Middle East Online, March 26, 2004

Egypt's president Hosni Mubarak will be hosting Fifa president Sepp Blatter in an attempt to gain his support for the country's 2010 World Cup bid.

Earlier this year, The Christian band "Better Life Team" appeared in Cairo Stadium in an event to promote "Cairo 2010"

Special For Come and See, March 22, 2004