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

George Elias Khouri, a 20-year-old student at the Hebrew University was killed in a drive-by shooting as he was jogging in the French Hill area of Jerusalem. George is son of known Lawyer Elias Khoury.

The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades claimed responsibility for the shooting that was targeted on "a settler". When the identity of the victim became known, Arafat's office telephoned his father to condemn the attack and opologize.

By Jonathan Lis, Haaretz, March 22, 2004

At least nine evangelical churches have opened in Baghdad in the last eight months, many supported by American organizations contributing up to $100,000 per church. More than 900,000 Bibles in Arabic ? along with hundreds of tons of food and medical supplies ? have been sent to Iraq.

The Los Angeles Times reporter brings a report about Mission work in Iraq the day four Southern Baptist Missionaries were killed.

By Charles Duhigg, LA Times Staff Writer, March 18, 2004

The story of Jordan Evangelical Theological Seminary (JETS) is the story of an amazing journey of Dr. Imad Shehady, the man behind this project.

Imad graduated with his Masters and PHD in Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary. They write a profile of Imad on their web site: "He has the gentleness of a lamb, the boldness of a lion ??.

Dallas Theological Seminary Web site, March 16, 2004

Father Emil Salayta is the co-founder of the Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation, a charitable organization that donates scholarships and starts schools for students in Palestine. He spoke at Georgetown University about how Arab Christians could "play a unique role in the peacemaking process because of their biblical connections to the Jews and cultural ties to the Arab Muslims"

By Cynthia Osueke, Feb 27, The Hoya, GeorgeTown University Newspaper

The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the Lutheran tradition and now has 136 member churches in 76 countries representing 62.3 million of the worlds nearly 66 million Lutherans.

The committee also drew attention to the fact that the construction of the wall is worsening "the already intolerable situation that is forcing the exodus of Palestinian Christians."

Worldwide Faith News archives, Feb 26, 2004

Dr John Aves, honorary canon of Norwich Cathedral writes a review about Naim Ateek's booklit about Suicide Bombers - "What is Theologically and Morally Wrong with Suicide Bombings? A Palestinian Christian Perspective"

Naim Ateek is co-founder and director of the Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Centre in Jerusalem and was the first to articulate a Palestinian theology of liberation.

John Aves, World Faith Views, Feb 26, 2004