Before the mass immigration from the former Soviet Union, the Greek Orthodox community in Israel numbered about 40,000, the vast majority of whom were Arabs. The community has tripled in size thanks to the immigrants. New churches have opened and old ones are booming. These immigrants are also very dedicated believers and have pushed the "old-timers" to extend the prayer services.

Lili Galili meets the Greek Orthodox community in the city of Migdal Haemeq - who are lead by a Christian Arab priest.

By Lili Galili, Haaretz, June 16, 2006

An attempt by Muslim clerics to close a YMCA branch office in the West Bank has exposed growing tensions between the Holy Land's dwindling Christian community and the new Palestinian government led by Hamas.

Firebombs were recently thrown into the office of the YMCA in Qalqilya, a Hamas stronghold, forcing the group to move to new premises. Islamic leaders have written to the local council demanding that the YMCA branch office close. Their letter concludes: "The presence of this office will lead to negative consequences.''

By Tim Butcher in Jerusalem, Daily Telegraph, 28/4/2006

One of the most important Israeli columnists writes in Yediot Ahronot about the ciriticism that Henry Hyde and Robert Novak have against the Israeli seperation wall.

Hyde writes that Israel's actions "go beyond the realm of legitimate security concerns and have negative consequences on communities and lands under their occupation," places such as Bethlehem and Beit Jala. He writes of the difficulties Christian residents have reaching holy sites such as a result of the security fence.

Ofer Shelah, YnetNews, May 29, 2006

The Church of Scotland has called on European authorities and the World Council of Churches to clearly identify products from illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian lands, a church official said Wednesday.

The decision by the church's General Assembly, meeting in Edinburgh, came after delegates were informed that the church had no investments related to what it regards as oppression of the Palestinians.

The Assoicated Press, May 24, 2006

In a recent conference, Brother Andrew said that terrorists are not born but made. He adds that they become terrorists because no one cares for their souls. Light Force is a book that prompts its readers to be concerned about the souls of terrorists. It also wants its readers to be involved in the struggles of their brothers and sisters in the Lebanese and Palestinian churches.

Light Force is a fair book that is not marked by any mindless emotionalism. Instead, it reflects a strong commitment to Christ, to supporting God's people in Lebanon and the Palestinian territories, to loving both Arabs and Jews, and to evangelizing Muslims.

Yohanna Katanacho, Special for "Come and See", May 23, 2006

A Jewish writer is so worried by "Jews for Jesus" giving out tracts in Israel and Proselytizing the people of Israel.

He says that the movement is taking advantage of the weaknesses of Judaism in our day, in order to further weaken it. He writes in Israeli daily Haaretz: "There aren't that many of us left. There are 2 billion Christians in the world, and nearly a billion and a quarter Muslims. There are barely 14 million Jews left alive on this planet. In 1933, that number was 15.3 million. Leave us alone".

This article is brought to you unchanged - as is - to show the perspective of many Israeli Jews towards Jesus and the challenge in reaching out to the Jewish people.

By Bradley Burston, Haaretz, May 23, 2006

Canon Naim Ateek, a Palestinian Anglican priest and the founder and director of the Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Centre in Jerusalem, will receive the 2006 John Nevin Sayre Award from the Peace Fellowship of the Episcopal Church in the United States. The award is named after a founding member of the U.S. branch of the Fellowship of Reconciliation

Sabeel is a movement of Palestinian Christians working with mainstream churches in North America and Europe to host regional and international conferences, witness trips to the Holy Land, and theological education.

Ekklesia, May 17, 2006

The Palestinian Bible Society's bookshop in Gaza reopened on Monday 3 April, after a five-week closure in response to terrorists' threats to bomb the building, reports Hanna Massad, pastor of Gaza Baptist Church.

Hanna's wife, Suhad, is the Bible Society bookshop's director. She said the bookshop reopened with permission from the Gaza Interior Ministry, over the objections of the building's owner.

Today was very special day for us after we confronted the pressure and the power of the kingdom of darkness face to face, especially in the last four days," Hanna wrote in an e-mail to prayer partners.

"We experienced the power of answered prayer. Thank you for praying with us and for us."

Open Doors Web site, April 7, 2006

Franciscan monks, German tourists and Filipino foreign workers crowded the Old City of Jerusalem's cobblestone streets and its ancient churches yesterday to celebrate Easter.

Thousands of pilgrims packed the narrow alleyways of the Old City to mark Jesus' resurrection - more visitors than in recent years, reflecting a downturn in Palestinian-Israeli violence that kept tourists away.

AP, April 16, 2006