Jewish settlers, the Israeli government and “Christian Zionists” are the main cause of Palestinian Christian emigration from the Middle East, not the rise of Islamic extremism, according to the chiefs of two Palestinian Christian groups.
In protesting letters to Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, Anglican Priest Naim Ateek of Sabeel and Kairos Palestine Coordinator Rifat Odeh Kassis chastised the head of the Anglican Communion for citing increasing Islamic extremism as a key factor in the departure of Christians from the region.

Jeff Walton, July 7, 2011, Front Page Magazine

Born again leaders are in a dilemma: how to govern a worldly nation according to the teachings of Messiah and the cross, when all the kingdoms of this world are opposed to the Kingdom of God?

Howard Bass, Special for Come and See

On June 25, 2006 Hamas captured the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in a cross border raid. The story of Shalit is a sad one. It reflects the tragedy of an Israeli family, the helplessness of individuals, the enmity between two nations, and the violence that dominates over our region. It also points out that prisoners might lose their basic human rights such as seeing their beloved ones. As a Palestinian Christian who is not for any form of violence whether it is state violence or terrorism, I wonder about God’s message to Gilad Shalit!

Yohanna Katanacho, Special For Come and See

Pontifical Mission director says number of faithful in the region has stabilized and may even be increasing.
Those that stay have a lot of pride in being Christians in the holy land

by DAVID KERR (EWTN NEWS)

"We are deeply troubled by your recent comments regarding the situation of Christians in the Middle East. You have managed, diplomatically –instead of being prophetic, as one would expect you to be, not to mention the Israeli occupation, the separation wall, Israel confiscation of Palestinian land, its policies that violate freedom of movement and worship in Palestine".

"We are no longer expecting support from Church leaders around the world. Our Hope, Faith and Love come from elsewhere"


Rifat Odeh Kassis, Kairos Palestine Coordinator, PNN, June 20, 2011,

“With Rabin I went to the theater in Haifa and we sat side by side,” Mansour said. During the break, they would run outside and share cigarettes and conversation, he added.


From:Neon Tommy University of Southern California,15th June 2011

He spoke of his hope for the emergence of democracy following the unrest of the last half year, saying that a participatory democracy would be in the interest of minorities because “good democracies look after minorities”.

Christian Today, June 16, 2011

Much ‘blood has been spilled’ over the outcry of the “all the [Israeli Jewish] people” to Pontius Pilate washing his hands wishing to be “innocent of the blood of this just man”: “His blood be on us and on our children!” (Mt 27:24-25)

Howard Bass, Special for Come and See

The Secretariat General of the Ecumenical Committee for Christian Education in Palestine decided to apply the Kairos – Palestine document in both the 9th and 10th grades, during its meeting held at the Dar El Kalimah School in Bethlehem.

From abouna.org