A Response to Representatives of the International Messianic Jewish Community to their joint statement on "Christ at the Checkpoint"

Leaders of the UMJC and MJAA joined forces again this month to issue a statement on a matter of deep concern for the Messianic Jewish community. The statement, on the "Christ at the Checkpoint" conference scheduled for March 5-9 in Bethlehem, included leaders of the International Messianic Jewish Alliance and the International Association of Messianic Congregations and Synagogues.

The members of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Executive Committee have sent a pastoral message to the churches in Syria extending solidarity as they face enormous challenges due to the ongoing violence in the country.

We had a really bad day today. Nine Palestinian very young children were killed and 40 other children injured (some severely) in one horrific fiery traffic accident today and another child was killed in a separate traffic accident...

154,000 Christians live today in the Land of Israel. 80% are Arabs, and they live in the north of the country, and their level of education is high. The data comes from the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics

Jesus, Christmas, and the Arab Spring-By Botrus Mansour, Christianity Today 23rd December 2011

Tourism Ministry officials say newly launched NIS 3 million Gospel Trail does not detract from older Jesus Trail, but both are vying for Christian tourists.

If Jesus were to be born in Bethlehem today, he would have difficulty crossing from Bethlehem to Jerusalem for the same security reasons. Moreover, Mary and Joseph may have to flee to Canada to avoid the current political turmoil in Egypt.

Munther Isaac- Director, Christ at the Checkpoint Conference, writes about the conference in March 2012 in Bethlehem and quotes Lynne Hybels, co-founder of the Willow Creek Church and one of the speakers at the Conference:
"I am still pro-Israel, but I’ve also become pro-Palestine, pro-peace, and pro-justice and pro-equality for Jews and Arabs living as neighbors in the Holy Land. And the bottom line is always: pro-Jesus!”