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I (Sal) was watching ABC Nightline and was touched by a story called "Arna's Children" (Oct. 15, 2004 � Tonight), Nightline tells the story of one woman's dream to protect the innocence of children caught up in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

It's Saturday, February 10th of 2007-I decided to write more about this land after reading more about the unfortunate conflict through a website. I want to be neutral in this on-going political conflict. I know each side has different view points. But, the most important thing I believe is that God loves both sides. He is not a decider of one side or one issue; however, I want to share this particular link to give some biblical historical background (see 9/11, Islam) ) that I feel is the root of this "conflict".

Biblical History

"And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set [your] battle in array? [am] not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together. When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid. And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days. And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard "-1 Sammuel 17

David - Pt 05 of 21 (Full Movie)

"King David "
*more at GoodnewsEverybody.com Judaism, Hebrew, Torah, Bible-Old Testament, etc...
David vs. Goliath, from youtube.com (comedy)
"David vs. Goliath (1 Samuel 17) " David & Goliath, from youtube.com
"Musicvideo about David & Goliath. "
DAVID AND GOLIATH 3, from youtube.com (animation)

David and Goliath

"8 Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, "Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me. 9 If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us." 10 Then the Philistine said, "This day I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other." 11 On hearing the Philistine's words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified. ...

"David said to the Philistine, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I'll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give all of you into our hands."

48 As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. 49 Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.
50 So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.
51 David ran and stood over him. He took hold of the Philistine's sword and drew it from the scabbard. After he killed him, he cut off his head with the sword.
When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran. 52 Then the men of Israel and Judah surged forward with a shout and pursued the Philistines to the entrance of Gath [g] and to the gates of Ekron. Their dead were strewn along the Shaaraim road to Gath and Ekron. 53 When the Israelites returned from chasing the Philistines, they plundered their camp. 54 David took the Philistine's head and brought it to Jerusalem, and he put the Philistine's weapons in his own tent. "

Samson & Delilah (FULL MOVIE) 13/13

"Samson was born to aged parents. He was a Nazirite set apart for God's service and therefore did not cut his hair or drink alcohol. His exploits included tearing a lion apart with his bare hands, killing a company of the men of Ashdod, setting fire to their fields and orchards, and slaughtering a thousand men with the jawbone of an ass. After a Philistine woman named Delilah enticed Samson to reveal the secret of his great strength, she cut off his hair, and the Philistines gouged out his eyes, bound him with strong fetters, and set him to grind at the mill in the prison. But Samson's hair, the secret of his strength, began to grow again. The day came when the Philistine lords sent for the blind Samson to laugh at him. Samson felt for the pillars on which the house rested, pulled them down, and died along with many Philistines.
Judg 13:1-25 - Birth
Judg 16:4-31 - Delilah "

"Judges 16
Samson and Delilah
1 One day Samson went to Gaza, where he saw a prostitute. He went in to spend the night with her. 2 The people of Gaza were told, "Samson is here!" So they surrounded the place and lay in wait for him all night at the city gate. They made no move during the night, saying, "At dawn we'll kill him."
3 But Samson lay there only until the middle of the night. Then he got up and took hold of the doors of the city gate, together with the two posts, and tore them loose, bar and all. He lifted them to his shoulders and carried them to the top of the hill that faces Hebron....
The Death of Samson
23 Now the rulers of the Philistines assembled to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to celebrate, saying, "Our god has delivered Samson, our enemy, into our hands."
24 When the people saw him, they praised their god, saying,
"Our god has delivered our enemy
into our hands,
the one who laid waste our land
and multiplied our slain."
25 While they were in high spirits, they shouted, "Bring out Samson to entertain us." So they called Samson out of the prison, and he performed for them.
When they stood him among the pillars, 26 Samson said to the servant who held his hand, "Put me where I can feel the pillars that support the temple, so that I may lean against them." 27 Now the temple was crowded with men and women; all the rulers of the Philistines were there, and on the roof were about three thousand men and women watching Samson perform. 28 Then Samson prayed to the LORD, "O Sovereign LORD, remember me. O God, please strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes." 29 Then Samson reached toward the two central pillars on which the temple stood. Bracing himself against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other, 30 Samson said, "Let me die with the Philistines!" Then he pushed with all his might, and down came the temple on the rulers and all the people in it. Thus he killed many more when he died than while he lived.
31 Then his brothers and his father's whole family went down to get him. They brought him back and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of Manoah his father. He had led [e] Israel twenty years."

*see GoodnewsEverybody Issues: Sinful, Rebellion, Wrong, etc...


*see Bible

  • Wikipedia-Philistines

  • History
    "If the Philistines are to be identified as one of the "Sea Peoples" (see Origins below), then their occupation of Canaan would have to have taken place during the reign of Ramesses III of the Twentieth Dynasty, ca. 1180 to 1150 BC. Their maritime knowledge presumably would have made them important to the Phoenicians."
    The name "Palestine" comes, via Greek and Latin, from the Philistines; see History of Palestine...
    The name "Palestine" comes, via Greek and Latin, from the Philistines; see History of Palestine...


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    Humanitarian

  • Planting seeds of hope Palestinian who once despised Jews making a difference in the West Bank by Mark Ellis — ANS Published by Minnesota Christian Chronicle — December 2010

  • " JERICHO, West Bank — He was a Palestinian fighter trained to kill Jews. His animus was so strong he dreamed of poisoning Jews who frequented the American restaurant where he later worked.
    "I hated the Jewish people,” says Taysir “Tass” Abu Saada, founder of Seeds of Hope, a humanitarian organization operating in the Middle East. His objective is to bring long-term change to families through education, economic development, cultural exchange and humanitarian aid.
    Abu Saada was born in the Gaza Strip and grew up in Saudi Arabia under Muslim teachings. Trained as a sniper by the Fatah movement to kill Jews, he even instructed children about their duty to fight and kill Israelis.
    Eventually he left the cauldron of the Middle East in search of a better life in America where he worked in the hotel and restaurant industries in Kansas City, Mo. And dreamed of poisoning Jewish clientele.
    "These Jewish customers loved me, but I couldn’t find any liking for them at all," Abu Saada says.
    At one Kansas City restaurant he met an American named Charlie Sharpe.
    "He was the first customer I served as a busboy who was kind enough to thank me for clearing his dish, which touched my heart,” Abu Saada recalls.
    Spiritual connection
    One day Sharpe spoke to the Middle East immigrant about a “spiritual connection” he enjoyed, which brought miraculous blessings and peace. Weeks went by as Abu Saada pondered what this connection might be. He begged Sharpe to give him the secret.
    Sharpe told him, “Tass, to have the peace that I have you must love a Jew."
    Abu Saada was taken aback by this remark.
    "I hate these people—you know how I feel about them," he said.
    Sharpe placed a Bible between he and Abu Saada as he told the young man that Jesus was more than a prophet, as believed by Muslims.
    "The minute he put the Bible between the two of us it was like something powerful just shook me and threw me away from it,” he recalls.
    "Why did you jump?" Sharpe asked.
    "I can’t touch that,” Abu Saada replied.
    "Why? —It’s just a piece of paper."
    "No, it's the Word of God and it’s God and the name of God is in it."
    Startled by response
    Abu Saada’s admission stunned Sharpe momentarily.
    "So you believe this is the Word of God?" Sharpe asked.
    "Yes," Abu Saada replied, as Sharpe reached for the Bible and read the first chapter of the Book of John. ‘In the beginning was the Word…’
    "When he started reading," Abu Saada says, "I started shaking and I lost control and the next I know I’m on my knees on the floor with my hands lifted up, inviting Christ to be my Lord and Savior,” he says. "I felt like a mountain lifted off my shoulder and a joy and peace came into my heart I never experienced before."
    Tears flowed from Sharpe's eyes.
    "Man, I've never seen anything like this in my life,” he said, hugging Abu Saada.
    "Do you know what happened?"
    "No."
    "You've become a Christian,” Sharpe told him.
    "Well, if the reason I’m feeling the way I’m feeling in my heart is because he is the Son of God, then I want him to be my Lord and Savior,” he replied.
    About face
    The transformation prompted Abu Saada to serve those he once hated. With the help of his wife and children, who also converted, he founded Hope for Ishmael, an evangelical ministry, and Seeds of Hope, a humanitarian organization operating in the Middle East. According to Abu Saada, the greatest need exists at Seeds of Hope, where he and his team seek to make a difference in the lives of children and families.
    Seeds of Hope operates Hope Kindergarten in Jericho, and is in the process of furnishing a day care center.
    "The children are learning English so easily,” he notes. Enrollment is doubling this year at the kindergarten, with a waiting list of more than 200.
    Cultural center
    Next year Abu Saada begins work on a cultural center, where English, French and German will be taught, along with computer classes.
    A new youth center under development will offer games such as ping-pong and air hockey, along with a pool table.
    "We'll have a giant screen TV where the kids can watch soccer and basketball,” the ministry leader says.
    The young people in Jericho and the West Bank have few places to hang out, and as a result spend much of their time on the streets where they are vulnerable to the seduction of groups like Hamas.
    Once complete, the youth center will provide a safe alternative for children 9 to 13.
    Abbas gift
    One of Abu Saada’s recent surprises was the gift of a 16-acre parcel by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to build a sports complex.
    "This was a shock when we got his letter,” Abu Saada says, adding that he has already enlisted the help of an architect to help with the “Herodian-style design” he envisions for the site, and will begin raising funds for the project.
    "We are praying the Lord will bring in the support needed for the school and the center,” he says. “God is turning the hearts of the people. I am humbled to be a small part of what the Lord is doing."
    You can read more about the ministry at www.seedsofhopeinc.com.Strip and grew up in Saudi Arabia under Muslim teachings. Trained as a sniper by the Fatah movement to kill Jews, he even instructed children about their duty to fight and kill Israelis.
    Eventually he left the cauldron of the Middle East in search of a better life in America where he worked in the hotel and restaurant industries in Kansas City, Mo. And dreamed of poisoning Jewish clientele.
    "These Jewish customers loved me, but I couldn’t find any liking for them at all,” Abu Saada says.
    At one Kansas City restaurant he met an American named Charlie Sharpe.
    "He was the first customer I served as a busboy who was kind enough to thank me for clearing his dish, which touched my heart,” Abu Saada recalls.
    Spiritual connection
    One day Sharpe spoke to the Middle East immigrant about a “spiritual connection” he enjoyed, which brought miraculous blessings and peace. Weeks went by as Abu Saada pondered what this connection might be. He begged Sharpe to give him the secret.
    Sharpe told him, “Tass, to have the peace that I have you must love a Jew.”
    Abu Saada was taken aback by this remark.
    "I hate these people—you know how I feel about them,” he said.
    Sharpe placed a Bible between he and Abu Saada as he told the young man that Jesus was more than a prophet, as believed by Muslims.
    "The minute he put the Bible between the two of us it was like something powerful just shook me and threw me away from it,” he recalls.
    "Why did you jump?” Sharpe asked.
    "I can’t touch that,” Abu Saada replied.
    "Why? —It’s just a piece of paper.”
    "No, it’s the Word of God and it’s God and the name of God is in it.”
    Startled by response
    Abu Saada’s admission stunned Sharpe momentarily.
    "So you believe this is the Word of God?” Sharpe asked.
    "Yes,” Abu Saada replied, as Sharpe reached for the Bible and read the first chapter of the Book of John. ‘In the beginning was the Word…’
    "When he started reading,” Abu Saada says, “I started shaking and I lost control and the next I know I’m on my knees on the floor with my hands lifted up, inviting Christ to be my Lord and Savior,” he says. “I felt like a mountain lifted off my shoulder and a joy and peace came into my heart I never experienced before.”
    Tears flowed from Sharpe’s eyes.
    "Man, I’ve never seen anything like this in my life,” he said, hugging Abu Saada.
    "Do you know what happened?"
    "No."
    "You’ve become a Christian," Sharpe told him.
    "Well, if the reason I’m feeling the way I’m feeling in my heart is because he is the Son of God, then I want him to be my Lord and Savior,” he replied.
    About face
    The transformation prompted Abu Saada to serve those he once hated. With the help of his wife and children, who also converted, he founded Hope for Ishmael, an evangelical ministry, and Seeds of Hope, a humanitarian organization operating in the Middle East. According to Abu Saada, the greatest need exists at Seeds of Hope, where he and his team seek to make a difference in the lives of children and families.
    Seeds of Hope operates Hope Kindergarten in Jericho, and is in the process of furnishing a day care center.
    "The children are learning English so easily,” he notes. Enrollment is doubling this year at the kindergarten, with a waiting list of more than 200.
    Cultural center
    Next year Abu Saada begins work on a cultural center, where English, French and German will be taught, along with computer classes.
    A new youth center under development will offer games such as ping-pong and air hockey, along with a pool table.
    "We’ll have a giant screen TV where the kids can watch soccer and basketball,” the ministry leader says.
    The young people in Jericho and the West Bank have few places to hang out, and as a result spend much of their time on the streets where they are vulnerable to the seduction of groups like Hamas.
    Once complete, the youth center will provide a safe alternative for children 9 to 13.
    Abbas gift
    One of Abu Saada’s recent surprises was the gift of a 16-acre parcel by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to build a sports complex.
    "This was a shock when we got his letter,” Abu Saada says, adding that he has already enlisted the help of an architect to help with the “Herodian-style design” he envisions for the site, and will begin raising funds for the project.
    "We are praying the Lord will bring in the support needed for the school and the center,” he says. “God is turning the hearts of the people. I am humbled to be a small part of what the Lord is doing."
    You can read more about the ministry at www.seedsofhopeinc.com.

  • Palestinian Christians face ethnic cleansing By ABE ATA (National Catholic Reporter)

  • "The views of the Israeli right are well known: They want us gone. Less well known are the views of the American religious right. Senator James Inhofe, R-Okla., said: �God appeared to Abraham and said: �I am giving you this land,� the West Bank. This is not a political battle at all. It is a contest over whether or not the word of God is true.� House Majority Leader Dick Armey, R-Texas, was even more forthright: �I�m content to have Israel grab the entire West Bank. � I happen to believe that the Palestinians should leave.�"

    Prayer

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    Global-Multicultural

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  • Suicide bombers A Palestinian Christian perspective, from the witness
  • History

  • History in General, from Wikipedia
  • History of the Flag-Wikipedia

  • "...is a name which has been widely used since Roman times to refer to the region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River.[1] In its broader meaning as a geographical term, Palestine can refer to an area that includes contemporary Israel and the Palestinian territories, parts of Jordan, and parts of Lebanon and Syria.[1][2] In its narrow meaning, it refers to the area within the boundaries of the former British Mandate of Palestine (1920-1948) west of the Jordan River. Palestine can also refer to the State of Palestine, declared by the Palestinian National Authority and recognized by over 100 countries.[3] Within the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the use of the term Palestine can arouse fierce controversy.[4]...
    Name and boundaries
    ...'Palestine' ( Greek: Παλαιστίνη; Latin: Palaestina; Hebrew: פלשתינה‎ Palestina; Arabic: فلسطين‎ Filasṭīn, Falasṭīn, Filisṭīn ) is a Latinized name given to the region of the Iudaea Province by the Roman emperor Hadrian[6][7] following the crushing Bar Kochba's revolt in 132-135[8] in an attempt to suppress Jewish national feelings.[9][10] In the Bible, the area inhabited by the Philistines was known as Pleshet Genesis, X.13. The Philistines were a seafaring people who lived in cities along the coast. During the Late Bronze Age, Philistia was located approximately where the Gaza Strip is situated. Philistia was a confederation of five city states: Gaza, Ashkelon and Ashdod on the coast, and Ekron and Gath inland.[11]
    The ethnic affiliation of the Philistines is not clear. The Philistine names preserved on inscriptions appear to "contradict the notion that they were Greek-speakers."[12] Some scholars argue however that they were a non-Semitic group, with roots in Southern Greece dating back to the period of early Mycenaean civilization.[13] A hypothetical link to the Anatolian people, based upon mere phonological similitude to the Palaic language, seems tenuous but not impossible....
    Non-Biblical texts
    ...During the Roman period, the province of Iudaea covered much of modern Palestine, although the Galilee and other northern areas remained distinct administratively. However, many writers continued to use the Greek name. For example, in the first century C.E., the Roman writer Pliny the Elder mentions a region of Syria that was "formerly called Palaestina" among the areas of the Eastern Mediterranean.[24] The Jewish historian Josephus, writing in Greek, used the name Palaistinê for the smaller coastal area which most of his contemporaries preferred to call Philistia.[25] the Jewish writer Philo of Alexandria, also writing in Greek, used the terms Palestine and Canaan interchangeably, noting that the region's Jewish population was larger than that of any other single country...

    Biblical texts
    ...The Land of Canaan is given a precise description in (Numbers 34:1) as including all of Lebanon, as well (Joshua 13:5). The wide area appears to have been the home of several small nations such as the Canaanites, Hebrews, Hittites, Amorrhites, Pherezites, Hevites and Jebusites. According to Hebrew tradition, the land of Canaan is part of the land given to the descendants of Abraham, which extends from the Nile to the Euphrates River (Genesis 15:18)....
    Islamic period (630-1918 CE)
    Arab Caliphate rule (638–1099 CE)
    An 1890 map of Palestine as described by medieval Arab geographers, with Jund Filastin administrative area
    In 638 CE, Caliph Omar Ibn al-Khattab and Safforonius, the Byzantine governor of Jerusalem, signed Al-Uhda al-'Omariyya (The Umariyya Covenant), an agreement that stipulated the rights and obligations of all non-Muslims in Palestine.[80] Jews were permitted to return to Palestine for the first time since the 500-year ban enacted by the Romans and maintained by Byzantine rulers....
    History of Palestine Part I

    " The 20th century
    Palestine in British map 1924 the map now in the National Library of Scotland
    In European usage up to World War I, "Palestine" was used informally for a region that extended in the north-south direction typically from Rafah (south-east of Gaza) to the Litani River (now in Lebanon). The western boundary was the sea, and the eastern boundary was the poorly-defined place where the Syrian desert began. In various European sources, the eastern boundary was placed anywhere from the Jordan River to slightly east of Amman. The Negev Desert was not included.[113]
    Under the Sykes–Picot Agreement of 1916, it was envisioned that most of Palestine, when freed from Ottoman control, would become an international zone not under direct French or British colonial control. Shortly thereafter, British foreign minister Arthur Balfour issued the controversial Balfour Declaration of 1917, which promised to establish a Jewish state in Palestine in exchange for the Jewish financial support to the British in their war against Ottomans and Germans. [114]
    The British-led Egyptian Expeditionary Force, commanded by Edmund Allenby, captured Jerusalem on 9 December 1917 and occupied the whole of the Levant following the defeat of Turkish forces in Palestine at the Battle of Megiddo in September 1918 and the capitulation of Turkey on 31 October.[115]
    British Mandate (1920–1948)
    .... On 16 September the League formally approved a memorandum from Lord Balfour confirming the exemption of Transjordan from the clauses of the mandate concerning the creation of a Jewish national home and from the mandate's responsibility to facilitate Jewish immigration and land settlement.[118] With Transjordan coming under the administration of the British Mandate, the mandate's collective territory became constituted of 23% Palestine and 77% Transjordan.

    Palestine - History & Facts

    "This video goes through the recent history of Palestine and reveals the facts behind the conflict between Israel and "palestinians". "

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  • ‘Hamas Scores Deadly PR Victory,’ says Mosab Hassan Yousef, author of ‘Son of Hamas’ But, in a hard-hitting blog, he adds, ‘Israel has the right, like every other country in the world, to protect its borders’, By Dan Wooding Founder of ASSIST Ministries Thursday, June 3, 2010 assistnews.net

  • "...In his latest blog, Yousef, author of the best-selling book, “Son of Hamas”, written with ASSIST News Service (ANS) veteran correspondent, Ron Brackin, says that he believes that because of this Hamas has scored what he calls a “deadly PR victory.” However, he added, "Israel has the right, like every other country in the world, to protect its borders." ...
    For more information, go to: www.sonofhamas.com

    Blair: Gazans Must Have Hope

    "Added On June 6, 2010 Middle East envoy Tony Blair says the international community must ensure people of Gaza have hope"
    ISRAEL BOMBS GAZA STRIP AGAIN !! KILLS MANY !!!

    HUMANITARIAN RELIEF:
  • International Humanitarian Group Assists with Gaza Medical Relief in the Wake of Israeli Air Raids By Michael Ireland Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service Saturday, January 3, 2009

  • "EGYPT (ANS) -- The UK branch of a Colorado-based international humanitarian group is supporting a team of medical doctors that have deployed to help the victims of the conflict in Gaza.
    Humanitarian International Services Group (www.HISG.org ) says state health officials are reporting that at least 400 people have been killed, and 1,700 more wounded, and hospitals in the Gaza Strip are vastly overwhelmed I the recent Israeli airstrikes on Gaza.
    Damage from airstrikes
    HISG has provided funding for immediate needs on the ground and is also working with a team of aid workers delivering emergency items into the Gaza strip as well as a Hungarian team of doctors that has been granted access to the conflict zone, according to a media release from the group.
    Bomb explosion from air raid.
    HISG is networked with thousands of relief and development organizations around the world, and focuses on connecting resources to needs. In this relief effort, HISG's United Kingdom office provided essential support to aid workers from different parts of Europe in order to meet urgent medical needs quickly for the people suffering in Gaza.
    The group says the most urgent needs are for medical supplies, fuel and food.
    "As the conflict continues, there is very little food available in Gaza and people are forced to wait in long lines for small rations. Most of the hospitals use diesel generators for electricity, so as the number of wounded people increases, an adequate supply of fuel is vital," the media release explains.
    The release says that HISG's vast network of partners enables them to respond to emergency situations quickly and efficiently. HISG has mobilized capable teams of international volunteers to meet dire and specific needs in Gaza.
    If you or your organization would like to support the relief effort in the Gaza Strip, please contact them or visit their website at www.HISG.org to donate securely online. "

    Catholic Relief Services Responds to Crisis in Gaza with $350,00 to Provide Food, Blankets and more to Vulnerable Families By Michael Ireland Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service Wednesday, January 14, 2009
    "BALTIMORE, MARYLAND (ANS) -- As the conflict in Gaza and Southern Israel continues, a Catholic relief agency will provide 500 war-affected families in Gaza with desperately needed food and other humanitarian relief supplies.
    With a $250,000 grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development and $100,000 from its American donors, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) will distribute food, hygiene items, blankets, candles, and other essentials.
    CRS says that since the fighting began on December 27, approximately 900 Gazans have been killed and thousands more wounded; 13 Israelis have also been killed. Many Gazan families are without electricity, water or food; some are living in shelters or with host families. ..
    Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the U.S. Catholic community. The agency provides assistance to people in more than 100 countries and territories based on need, regardless of race, nationality or creed. For more information, please visit www.crs.org or www.crsespanol.org .

    NEWS
  • Zahar Claims Victory, Calls to Kill Jewish Children by Maayana Miskin Published: 01/05/09, 8:26 PM (israelnationalnews.com)

  • "...Zahar directed his message to Hamas' troops, and promised them victory over the IDF. “We must be patient until we are victorious, Allah will help us,” he said. Hundreds of Hamas terrorists have been killed since the “Cast Lead” operation began last week, including 100 since the start of Israel's ground operation, and several of the group's senior leaders have been assassinated. Dozens have been taken prisoner as well.
    The Hamas leader called to murder Israelis and Jews worldwide, including children. “The Israelis have sentenced their children to death... They have legitimized the killing of their people all over the world,” he said. Hamas' platform calls for all Jews to convert to Islam or be killed, based on an Islamic saying (Hadith), and the group has not refrained from targeting children in the past.
    Hamas will destroy synagogues and Jewish schools as well, Zahar said, just as Israel destroyed mosques in Gaza. Israel bombed several mosques used to store rockets and ammunition.
    Zahar suggested Hamas was prepared to seek a ceasefire, saying Hamas would discuss “whatever is good for our people.” He issued a list of demands, saying any ceasefire must include a complete end to IDF counterterrorism activities, Hamas control of the Gaza coast and the opening of Israeli crossings.
    Israel has not offered Hamas a ceasefire, and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert recently said operations in Gaza would continue “until we achieve our goals.”.

  • Palestinian Christians face even more trouble in Gaza Posted: 6 January, 2009 (Mission Network News)

  • "Israel (MNN) ― The casualties continue to rise in Gaza as Israel continues to retaliate for the dozens of Hamas-fired missiles that broke a cease-fire more than 10 days ago. It is believed that nearly 500 people have been killed in the violence, with over 2,000 wounded.
    While the violence continues in the region, Christians are facing even more difficulties. Tom Doyle with E3 Partners says Hamas voted December 23rd to institute Sharia (Islamic) law in Gaza, which means radical Islam will rule -- women must be veiled, secret police will be watching everyone, and worse, says Doyle. "They also included in that the ability to crucify someone if they make a charge against Islam. It's just definitely going backwards in that community."
    Doyle says the Christian community is already being affected. "The Gaza Baptist Church is right in the middle of where the action -- obviously not a place where people want to going to gather in a large group." Worship services are "happening privately or in homes."
    If the Hamas government is ousted by the Israelis, Doyle says there will be "cheering in the streets. They know what that government means. They know how difficult it's going to be on their family and their living conditions."
    Despite the turmoil, Christians are having an impact. "We're seeing believers there reach out to help feed believers, Muslims, or nominal Christians, and they're helping out in the midst of it."
    Doyle is asking Christians to pray that believers will be preserved and will use this opportunity share Christ.
    If you'd like to help support Christians who are facing violence from both Israelis and Hamas, click here. e3 Partners (formerly EvangeCube and Global Missions Fellowship)"

    Israel: Hamas mortars prompted attack near U.N. school, CNN (Tuesday, Jan 6th of 2008)
    "GAZA CITY (CNN) -- Israeli artillery Tuesday struck near a U.N. school sheltering civilians in Gaza, killing at least 40 people after, according to the Israeli military, Hamas militants fired mortars from the location.

    "We face a very delicate situation where the Hamas is using the citizens of Gaza as a protective vest," Israel Defense Forces spokesman Brig. General Avi Benayahu said after the incident....
    "This is not the first time that Hamas terrorists have used Palestinian civilians as human shields and has exploited their deaths for the benefit of the international media," an Israeli statement read. "Israel will continue to treat as valuable the lives of all Palestinian civilians and refuses to devalue the lives of Gaza residents in the manner of Hamas."....
    Nearly 600 Palestinians have been killed and another 2,750 wounded in Gaza since Israel launched an air offensive December 27, according to Palestinian medical sources...."

    Israel, Hamas Both Claim Victory After Cease-Fire in Gaza Strip By Jeremy Reynalds Correspondent for ASSIST News Service Sunday, January 18, 2009
    "GAZA STRIP (ANS) -- Israel and Hamas are both claiming victory in the 22-day conflict in the Gaza Strip that left more than 1,300 Palestinians and 13 Israelis dead.
    According to a story by Jonathan Ferziger and Daniel Williams and published on Bloomberg News, Israeli officials said they had succeeded in their main objective of limiting Hamas’s ability to fire rockets from Gaza into southern Israel. Hamas announced that sheer survival constituted success after the onslaught by sea, land and air by Israeli forces.
    Bloomberg said Prime Minister Ehud Olmert addressed Israelis on television hours before yesterday’s unilateral cease-fire, saying the army’s goals "were more than fully achieved."
    In Gaza City, mosque loudspeakers along Omar Mukhtar Street broadcast the news of a "gorgeous and great victory" by Hamas that forced Israel to "stop its crimes."
    Bloomberg commented that both sides will now seek to demonstrate that the battle was worth fighting. At stake for Israel is the ability to deter further attacks by Hamas and other enemies, such as Lebanon’s Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia. Hamas needs to show it still has the muscle to rule Gaza and begin reconstruction.
    Bloomberg reported that the Israeli assault killed hundreds of Hamas militants, including some of the group’s top leaders, and reduced Hamas security facilities and government buildings to rubble. The number of rockets fired by Hamas, considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and European Union, fell to 20 a day at the end of the campaign from 70 at the beginning, according to the Israeli army. ...

    CEASE FIRE:
  • Gaza has been hit hard, but has it made any difference? , Tim Butcher Last Updated: 8:08PM GMT 20 Jan 2009 telegraph.co.uk

  • "...But, for the most part, I was struck by how cosmetically unchanged Gaza appeared to be. It has been a tatty, poorly-maintained mess for decades and the presence of fresh bombsites on streets already lined with broken kerbstones and jerry-built buildings did not make any great difference. And the same can be said for the mindset of many of Gaza's 1.5 million residents. Outsiders might have expected some sort of collective anger at the loss of life, or mass outrage at the Hamas authorities whose policy of firing rockets against Israel had brought down the wrath of the Israeli armed forces.
    But I found that, so steeped is the Gazan mindset in the narrative of victimhood, there was no internally-focused groundswell of anger at what had happened. Palestinians in Gaza have felt victims since 1948, when a small number of locals were suddenly swamped by a larger number of refugees, forced to flee land taken by Israel at the creation of the Jewish State. For 60 years they have dwelled on victimhood, a supplicant people grown dependent on foreign aid and reliant on the role Israel plays as the scapegoat for all ills.
    The sad truth appeared to me that operation Cast Lead, with its 1,300-plus Palestinian deaths, 6,000-plus lives ruined through injury, and billions of pounds worth of damage, was nothing more than another skirmish in a perpetual conflict, the same one Graham Greene witnessed 42 years ago."

    FAQ-WHY?

    -Israel using white phosphorus bombs?

  • Is Israel using illegal weapons in its offensive on Gaza? By Amira Hass Last update - 13:28 16/01/2009 haaretz.com

  • "...Last Saturday HRW hastened to publish a call to Israel to "stop unlawful use of white phosphorus in Gaza." The use of white phosphorus is permitted on the battlefield, explains Garlasco, but the side effects on humans and the environment are severe and highly dangerous. The statement notes that the "potential for harm to civilians is magnified by Gaza's high population density, among the highest in the world."
    The fireworks-like explosions, the thick smoke, suffocating gas, and flames that are not extinguished by water, but rather are heightened by it - all of these are characteristic of the white phosphorus bombs the IDF is using. Garlasco believes the decision to make such extensive use of these bombs, manufactured by America's General Dynamics Corporation, stems from conclusions drawn from the Second Lebanon War, in which the IDF lost many tanks. ..
    Missing the target
    Another new weapon that has forced itself upon Gazans is the GPS-guided mortar - a system equipped with satellite navigation, developed in Israel in late 2006-early 2007, in the wake of the Second Lebanon War. According to local military sources, it was this kind of mortar that missed its target by 30 meters and erroneously hit a United Nations Relief and Works Agency school last week; according to the UN report, 30 people were killed immediately and others died later of their injuries. "It really boggles my mind," Garlasco comments. "According to the literature, it has 3 meters' error - not 30." It is a mortar that is launched in an arc toward an unseen target, he explains, with the intention of being precise and to some extent minimize civilian casualties. ....

  • For the first time, Gaza militants fire phosphorus shell at Israel By Yanir Yagna, Haaretz Correspondent, and Haaretz Service Last update - 23:48 14/01/2009 haaretz.com

  • "...The Shin Bet security service said Tuesday that Palestinian militants in Gaza have fired some 565 rockets and 200 mortar shells at southern Israel since the Israel Defense Forces launched its offensive on the Hamas-ruled coastal territory on December 27 - an average of more than 30 a day. ...
  • HAMAS FIRES PHOSPHORUS BOMB INTO ISRAEL , Wednesday, January 14, 2009 gatewaypundit.blogspot.com

  • "Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday fired their first phosphorus bomb into Israel, which exploded in an open area in the Eshkol Regional Council area in the western Negev.
    No injuries or damage were reported.
    The phosphorus bomb was among the 14 rockets fired from Gaza into Israel on Wednesday.
    White phosphorus is not considered a chemical weapon. Militaries are permitted under laws of warfare to use it in artillery shells, bombs and rockets to create smoke screens to hide troop movements as well as bright bursts in the air to illuminate battlefields at night.
    However, the substance can cause serious burns if it touches the skin and can spark fires on the ground.
    Human Rights Watch on Sunday accused Israel of firing artillery shells packed with white phosphorus over populated areas of Gaza during recent fighting, including a crowded refugee camp, putting civilians at risk.
    Palestinian militants have fired at least 14 rockets into Israel since Wednesday morning, all of them hitting open areas near Ashkelon, Be'er Sheva and in the western Negev..."

    -Israel bombed UN school in Gaza?
  • Israeli shelling kills dozens at UN school in Gaza, * Chris McGreal and Rory McCarthy in Jerusalem, and Mark Tran * guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 6 January 2009 19.46 GMT

  • "..A United Nations official in Gaza said the school was clearly marked with a UN flag and its location had been reported to Israeli authorities. John Ging, director of operations in Gaza for UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, said that three artillery shells landed at the perimeter of the school where 350 people were taking shelter. "Of course it was entirely inevitable if artillery shells landed in that area there would be a high number of casualties," he said....
    ...The UN, which said the school in Jabaliya was clearly marked, said it was "strongly protesting these killings to the Israeli authorities and is calling for an immediate and impartial investigation"....
    "Where it is found that international humanitarian law has been violated, those responsible must be held to account. Under international law, installations such as schools, health centres and UN facilities should be protected from attack. Well before the current fighting, the UN had given to the Israeli authorities the GPS co-ordinates of all its installations in Gaza, including Asma elementary school."...

    UN rejects IDF claim Gaza militants operated from bombed-out school By Akiva Eldar, Amos Harel, Amira Hass, Avi Issacharoff and Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz Correspondents, and The Associated Press Last update - 16:19 07/01/2009
    "...The IDF on Tuesday released video footage from 2007 showing Palestinian militants firing from the school compound and carrying a rocket launcher with them as they flee the scene. ..
    Gunnes said the 2007 video bears no connection to Tuesday's military strike on the school.
    The IDF bombed the UNRWA school, Fakhura, on Tuesday after militants fired mortars at troops from inside the school, according to the IDF Spokesman's Office. The bodies of militants were found inside, it added. .
    "The initial examination conducted with forces operating in the area shows that mortar shells were fired from within the school at IDF forces. The IDF returned fire," the IDF Spokesman's Office said, adding, "In the past Hamas has fired at Israeli troops from within the school, making cynical use of civilians."
    The casualties included Hamas militants Imad and Hassan Abu Askhar, both of whom had fired mortar shells at troops from the school, the spokesman said.
    UNRWA demanded an independent investigation and the indictment of anyone found to have violated international law. ..."


    -Miscellaneous
  • Myths & Facts Online-The Gaza War Online Exclusive by Mitchell G. Bard

  • "MYTH
    “Israel broke the cease-fire with Hamas.”
    FACT
    On June 17, 2008, after several months of indirect contacts between Israel and Hamas through Egyptian mediators, Hamas agreed to a cease-fire (tahadiya). Almost immediately afterward, terrorists fired rockets into southern Israel. Despite what it called a “gross violation” of the truce, Israel refrained from military action.1 In fact, during the six months the arrangement was supposed to be observed, 329 rockets and mortar shells were fired at Israel.2...
    Violence escalated in early November after the IDF carried out a military operation close to the border security fence on the Gazan side that killed seven Hamas terrorists. Israel acted after discovering that Hamas had dug a tunnel under the fence and planned to abduct more Israeli soldiers. Hamas responded by shelling Israeli towns and has continued the rocket barrage ever since....

    Gaza Tunnels - Israel/Palestine, from youtube.com
    "Mar 2008 Most of Hamas' weapons are smuggled in through tunnels between Gaza and Egypt. These tunnels are usually dug by children, who know they could be killed at any moment. Every night, 14 year old Said scrambles down a narrow shaft leading to a tunnel. He'll spend the next eight hours digging without a break. It's claustrophobic, difficult work. The heat in the tunnel is unbearable and the more they advance, the harder it becomes to breathe. At any moment, the tunnel could come crashing down, burying them alive. That's not the only danger. "Sometime the Egyptians shoot gas into the tunnel that might kill us", states Ramdan. "There are risks of electric shocks and the Israelis might bomb the entrance". Since Hamas seized control of Gaza, the borders have been closed. The tunnels are the only way to import goods into the territory. "They're a gold mine!" states Said. But to his disgust, most of the profits go to other people. "We do all the work, then they swindle us", he complains. Once the tunnel is nearly ready, "other people will open it, do the trafficking and make more money than us". The money he does make will enable Said to support his entire family. But everytime he goes into the tunnel, he knows: "You are digging your own grave". "
    PERSPECTIVES:
    -Arabs
  • Arabs for Israel


  • "Moslem silent-majority leader, Mrs. Nonie Darwish, alleges Islamist public-relations groups, like Council for American Islamic Relations (CAIR) are mercenary spin-doctors for extremist Islamist (i.e., Islamic political domination) economic & political interests in America. Press conference at Four Seasons, Beverly Hills for Voices of Muslim Reformers in the Modern World. (Background left- Tashbih Sayyed; right- Dr. Wafa Sultan). "
    -Christians
    Bethlehem Bible College Makes Appeal for Gaza People By Jeremy Reynalds Correspondent for ASSIST News Service Wednesday, January 14, 2009
    "A news release from BBC said that college administrators have contacted friends and relatives in Gaza.
    According to BBC, “What they tell us is all the same: they have no food, no water, no electricity and they are afraid for their lives. Once the war is over, we will find more about the amount of destruction and the loss of life. The news agencies do not have enough access to the Gaza Strip due to Israeli prohibitions. Therefore it is difficult to find out exactly what is going on. (We) suspect things are much worse in the Gaza Strip than what we are seeing on our TV screens.”
    The news release from BBC said college staff have learned from their direct contacts that people there desperately need food, fresh water, electric power, fuel for cooking, clothing and blankets.
    BBC said the latest news from Gaza shows that the death toll among Palestinians is over 900 and the number of those injured has surpassed 4,000.
    The news release stated, “From all indications, it seems that this number will continue to rise. Many of the dead are women and children and non-combatant men. We are witnessing a great humanitarian crisis. The situation in Gaza is horrible. All the people need our help.”
    The release continued, “The Christian community in Gaza is very small; some reports estimate its population to be less than 3,500 individuals. This community is suffering as much as the rest of the population. Three members of this community, all of whom are civilians, have lost their lives in this war.”
    The BBC news release stated that last December, about 35 families from the Christian community in Gaza were allowed to come and visit Bethlehem for Christmas. While in Bethlehem the conflict started and now they are unable to return.
    “They are stuck in Bethlehem with very little resources,” the release stated. “In addition there are seven families that came a year ago, and are afraid to go back to Gaza.”
    BBC staff said they welcome the prayers of believers worldwide. “Please pray for the end of this terrible war, and pray for wisdom to be given to both sides of the conflict to do what is right in the eyes of God.”
    In conjunction with local churches, BBC is raising funds to help those in Gaza.
    For more information go to www.bethbc.org or in the U.S. send donations to Bethlehem Bible College designated for “Help for Gaza” to 614-C South Bus. IH-35, New Braunfels, TX 78130."

    If Americans Knew What Israel Is Doing! VIDEO WAS CENSORED!, from youtube.com
    *a perspective of one Palestinian Christian's testimony
    -Palestinian
  • Phosphorus bombs in Gaza – the evidence, from guardian.co.uk/

  • "On Tuesday 13 January Israeli forces attacked Khoza'a, a small rural community east of Khan Yunis in the south of the Gaza Strip. Missiles containing white phosphorus were deployed. Dr Ahmed Almi from the al-Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis describes serious injuries and chemical burns, with victims covered in a white powder that continues to burn long after initial exposure. Warning: contains graphic footage of war injuries.."
    -Israeli
    Real history behind recent Israel-Hamas conflict

    "Pay attention to the time-line and/or do your own research."
    History behind Arab and Israel conflict

    "This clip will help you understand the nature of the conflict. Also here's some more interesting facts: 1-Did you know that the annual aid given to Palestinians is more than the the total aid given by Arab countries combined? 2-Did you know that since Israel left Gaza a few years ago,the Palestinians have done nothing but turn the place into a dumpster? 3-Did you know that Hamas and Hezbollah are heavily funded by Iran? "
    Gaza War All the facts, the full story

    "Detachment from the Gaza Strip In August 2005, Ariel Sharon then the prime-minister of Israel has decided unilaterally to give peace a chance and withdraw all Israeli military and civilian population from the Gaza Strip. The decision that was harshly criticized by Israeli opposition was carried out relentlessly. Its supporters hoped that when left with no reason to fight, the population of the Gaza Strip will refrain from any further violence and will start building their lives. Some Israeli leaders have even helped raise funds for the economic development of Gaza. Unfortunately, Israels goodwill was brutally wasted. The leaders of this area showed no interest in building infrastructure, creating jobs, housing and education. Instead the Hamas has violently taken control over the area that was vacated. While doing so it has executed all its opponents, that is the gangs that did not meet the Hamas standards of fanaticism. The Hamas is an organization whose ideology is similar to Al-Qaeda with emphasis on spreading Jews hate. The resemblance of parts in Hamas charter to Hitlers Mein Kampf is not coincidental. The Hamas has vowed to destroy Israel. Years of shelling of Israeli towns and villages near Gaza The areas that were evacuated to enable peace were now used to launch attacks on Israel. For several years now, towns and villages near the borders of the Gaza Strip are living under constant casual shelling and rocket launching that daily threatens their lives. One cannot imagine the stress of living under such conditions, having to flee to a shelter several times a day every day for 8 years. All these years, Israel has been restraining its forces, and trying all other means to try and solve the situation a combination of pressure and diplomacy with a lot of naivety that a temporary cease fire may evolve into a permanent one for the benefit of both sides. Eventually the effort seamed to be successful for a moment when an agreement for a cease fire was reached. Did the Hamas use it to improve the living conditions of Gaza Strip population? Not at all, on the contrary, it used it to spend all its funds on getting more weapons for increasing the threats on Israel. Additionally, it violated the cease fire several times, and eventually it declared its termination. The objectives of operation Cast Lead After hesitating for a long time, the Israeli government had no other choice but to commence an operation that will attempt to change the situation. The main aim of the operation is to stop Gaza-based terrorists from firing rockets and mortars on nearby Israeli towns, and subsequently force Hamas to come back to a form of ceasefire but under different circumstances from the one agreed in June. That means a complete end to rocket fire and an end to smuggling of weapons. The Hamas is intentionally targeting civilians, an act that is considered a war crime according to the Geneva Conventions. Kindergartens and schools were among their hits. While the Israeli army and specifically the Israeli Air Force are doing more than any other army has ever done to prevent unnecessary killing. They are pinpointing their targets at specific military facilities. Unfortunately, that is not enough as the Hamas is locating its missile launchers and ammunition storage in densely populated areas. Nevertheless there are not as many innocent casualties as Hamas propaganda is trying to make you believe. They have been notorious in staging horror shows. And dont let the picture on television mislead you most terrorists dont wear uniforms, and many of them are very young. While this is again in contradiction to the Geneva Conventions, it does not make them innocent civilians. Eventually, anyone that lives in Gaza in neighborhoods that were not piggybacked by the Hamas terrorists can continue his life safely, while any of the Israelis living up to 40 kilometers from the Gaza strip needs Gods help or sheer luck to survive. Even now, as fighting goes on, Israel continues to provide humanitarian aid to the population of Gaza, while ignoring all the risks involved. Eventually, most of the Gaza population as well as the moderate leaders of the Arab world know deep in their hart that they will also benefit if the action that Israel is taking in Gaza will succeed, but they are afraid to admit it, so maybe like in "The Emperor's New Clothes" fairy tale it takes a little girl to say it. "
    Yeshua Israel War Vlog - December 31st, 2008

    "Born and raised in Tel Aviv, Shani talks reporting to you on the war from an Israeli perspective. Having the advantage of listening to war updates in Hebrew every half hour on the army radio gives us insight you won't find in foreign, often biased media outlets"
    Yeshua Israel War Vlog - January 1st 2009, from Godtube.com
    Yeshua Israel War Vlog - January 2nd 2009 - Violence, from Godtube.com
    Yeshua Israel War Vlog January 3rd - Refugees and Telling Kids about War, from Godtube.com
    War in Gaza: facts about the conflict (Elan Frank-Part 1), from youtube.com
    "Interview with Elan Frank, former Israeli Air Force pilot and Medal of Honor recipient, who puts the latest Gaza conflict in perspective "

    PRAYER
    Christians appeal for peace in Gaza Posted: 15 January, 2009 (Mission Network News)
    "..."It is hard to imagine that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will be resolved at all. We understand that it is extremely complex and that it needs a lot of work to build up trust and the political will on all sides. However, we dare to dream together of a Middle East where Jews and Arabs are able to enjoy life side by side in peace.
    "The God who is near wants to bless the Jewish people but not at the expense of the Arab people. And He wants to bless the Arab people but not at the expense of the Jewish people. We all call Abraham, the friend of God, also the father of our faith. For his sake and the sake of our God, may this conflict raise us up to a place where God pours His love for each person into all our hearts. May this inspire those who make political decisions as well as the families, especially those who have lost loved ones. Let their deaths not be in vain but be the cause of a better world for the glory of God." ..."

    *see GoodnewsEverybody.com Life: Peace, Quietness, Rest, etc... Counter-culture broadcasting helps the Middle East conflict Posted: 22 January, 2009 (Mission Network News)
    " Israel (MNN) ― Israel finished pulling its forces out of the Gaza Strip, but troops remain on the border should the 3-day ceasefire with Hamas falter. In the mean time SAT-7, Christian satellite television for North Africa and the Middle East, is broadcasting the message of peace. "SAT-7 wants to serve as a peacemaker, or at least encourage people to be peacemakers." ..

    Related Events:
    6.2-magnitude earthquake hits Afghanistan , updated 12:31 a.m. EST, Sun January 4, 2009 (CNN.com)
    Indonesia earthquake kills at least 2, injures 35,Sun, January 4th of 2009 (CNN.com)
    "JAKARTA, Indonesia (CNN) -- A major earthquake struck Sunday near the north coast of West Papua, Indonesia, killing at least two people and injuring 35, government officials said. The magnitude 7.6 quake occurred at about 4:43 a.m. (2:43 p.m. Saturday ET), about 95 miles (150 km) west-northwest of Manokwari, Indonesia, and about 105 miles (170 km) east-northeast of Sorong -- two cities in the Indonesian province of West Papua. Dozens of houses were damaged, with four buildings collapsing, according to a spokesman for the National Disaster Coordinating Agency. Dozens of military personnel were called up for rescue operations, Untung said. A military official in Manokwari said nobody was trapped under the rubble after rescuers sifted through the area. The quake was centered at a depth of 21.7 miles (35 km). A tsunami warning was initially issued but lifted within an hour of the quake. "

    -Terrorism

    Real Face of Hamas, the Murderer Of Palestinians

    "If Hamas Brutally Kills "Palestinians", why Israelis Cant? "
    Footages of:
    -Wedding Party Stopped for playing music
    -Celebration after 9-11 Terrorism

  • Hamas From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

  • "...Hamas was created in 1987 by Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi and Mohammad Taha of the Palestinian wing of the Muslim Brotherhood at the beginning of the First Intifada. Notorious for its suicide attacks and other attacks[2] on Israeli civilians and security forces, Hamas also runs extensive social programs[3] and has gained popularity in Palestinian society by establishing hospitals, education systems, libraries and other services[4] throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip.[3] Hamas' charter calls for the recapturing of the State of Israel and its replacement with a Palestinian Islamic state in the area that is now named Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip.[5] Hamas describes its conflict with Israel as political and not religious[6] or antisemitic.[7] However, its founding charter, writings, and many of its public statements[8] reflect the influence of antisemitic conspiracy theories...
    History
    "...On 26 January 2004, senior Hamas official Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi offered a 10-year truce, or hudna, in return for a complete withdrawal by Israel from the territories captured in the Six Day War, and the establishment of a Palestinian state (it later repeated the same offer after winning the majority in the PLC, accepting the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative[32]). Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin stated that the group could accept a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Rantissi confirmed that Hamas had come to the conclusion that it was "difficult to liberate all our land at this stage, so we accept a phased liberation."
    From the time of an attack on the Israeli southern town of Be'er Sheva in August 2004, in which 15 civilians were killed and 125 wounded, the truce was generally observed. Hamas violated it once, in August 2005, with an attack on the same bus station, wounding seven. Also in 2005, a group claiming to be aligned with Hamas were involved in several attacks on Israelis in the Hebron area of the West Bank, killing six.[33][34]...
    Hamas omitted its call for the destruction of Israel from its election manifesto, calling instead for "the establishment of an independent state whose capital is Jerusalem...

    Politics
    " Hamas, unlike the Fatah, refused to accept Israel's existence. Its charter calls for an end to Israel, though during the 2006 election campaign, Hamas did not mention its call for the destruction of Israel in its electoral manifesto.[37] On 25 January 2006, after winning the Palestinian elections, Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Zahar gave an interview to Al-Manar TV denouncing foreign demands that Hamas recognize Israel's right to exist.[5.
    After the establishment of Hamas government, Dr Al-Zahar stated his "dreams of hanging a huge map of the world on the wall at my Gaza home which does not show Israel on it...I hope that our dream to have our independent state on all historic Palestine (including Israel). This dream will become real one day. I'm certain of this because there is no place for the state of Israel on this land". He also "didn't rule out the possibility of having Jews, Muslims and Christians living under the sovereignty of an Islamic state, adding that the Palestinians never hated the Jews and that only the Israeli occupation was their enemy"...
    The slogan of Hamas is "God is its target, the Prophet is its model, the Qur'an its constitution: Jihad is its path and death for the sake of God is the loftiest of its wishes." Hamas states that its objective is to support the oppressed and wronged and "to bring about justice and defeat injustice, in word and deed." Hamas believes that "the land of Palestine is an Islamic Waqf (trust) consecrated for future Muslim generations until Judgement Day," and as such, the land cannot be negotiated away by any political leader. Hamas' covenant states that "so-called peaceful solutions and international conferences" are "in contradiction to the principles of the Islamic Resistance Movement", stating "there is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad".

    Political
    "...The Charter also selectively quotes Islamic religious texts to provide justification for fighting against and killing Jews....
    The possibility of a ceasefire with Israel
    "Hamas omitted its call for the destruction of Israel from its election manifesto, calling instead for "the establishment of an independent state whose capital is Jerusalem."[38] On 8 February 2006, Hamas head Khaled Mashal speaking in Cairo had clarified that "Anyone who thinks Hamas will change is wrong", stating that Hamas would "possibly" agree to a ceasefire with Israel if it withdrew from the lands conquered in 1967. However, in remarks released on the same day he stated that Hamas would not impede other Palestinian groups from carrying out armed "resistance" against Israel...
    End of 2008 Ceasefire
    "...On November 4, 2008 the ceasefire began to break down after Israeli forces killed six Hamas gunmen in a raid inside the Gaza Strip.[79][80] Hamas responded with a barrage of rockets which led to Defense Minister Ehud Barak giving approval for Operation Cast Lead, a series of airstrikes across Gaza, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert after discussion with Barak decided to put the operation on hold.[81] On December 18, 2008, Hamas issued a statement declaring that it would end the six-month ceasefire scheduled to officially expire the next day.[82] Hamas blamed Israel, saying it had not respected its terms, including the lifting of the blockade under which little more than humanitarian aid has been allowed into Gaza.[83][84] On December 21, following the launch of more than 70 rockets from Gaza targeted at Israel,[85] Hamas issued a statement that they would consider renewing the expired truce—"if Israel stopped its aggression" in Gaza and opened up its border crossings.[86] The previous six weeks had seen a "dramatic increase" in attacks from Hamas, spiking at some 200 or so a day, according to the Israeli government.[....
    Activities
    "...In particular, Hamas funded health services where people could receive free or inexpensive medical treatment. Hamas greatly contributed to the health sector, and facilitated hospital and physician services in the Palestinian territory. On the other hand, Hamas’s use of hospitals is sometimes criticised as purportedly serving the promotion of suicide bombings and other forms of violence against Israel.[..
    Funding
    " ...The largest backer of Hamas is Saudi Arabia, with over 50% of its funds coming from that country[100] The funding continues despite Saudi pledges to stop funding of terrorism...
    According to the U.S. State Dept, Hamas is funded by Iran (led by a Shi'i Islamic regime), Palestinian expatriates, and "private benefactors in Saudi Arabia and other Arab states."[25] The party is known to support families of suicide bombers after their deaths, including providing a monthly allowance. ..

    Other
    " The main website of Hamas provides translations of official communiqués in Persian language, Urdu, Indonesian, Russian, English, and Arabic.
    In 2005, Hamas announced its intention to launch an experimental TV channel, "Al-Aqsa TV". The station was launched on January 7, 2006, less than three weeks before the Palestinian legislative elections.[citation needed] It includes TV shows for children, some of which promote antisemitic views.

    Children in Gaza Imitate Terrorist Leaders

    "The following are excerpts from a TV report on a children's performance at the Islamic Association in Gaza. The report aired on Al-Manar TV on May 29, 2001."
    Crackdown on dissent and on the Press
    " Human rights groups and ordinary Gazans accuse Hamas of forcefully suppressing dissent. An August 26, 2007 article from British conservative newspaper The Telegraph accuses Hamas of using criminal means, including torture, political detentions, and firing on unarmed protesters who object to Hamas policies.[125] In October 2008, Hamas announced it would release all political prisoners in their custody in Gaza. Several hours after the announcement, 17 Fatah members were released...
    Militancy and political violence
    Attacks on civilians
    "...Hamas has been responsible for launching suicide attacks against Israel;[138] the group sees these attacks as a legitimate aspect of its asymmetric warfare against Israel. Hamas' first use of suicide bombing occurred on April 16, 1993 when a suicide bomber driving an explosive-laden van detonated between two buses parked at a restaurant. It was Hamas' 19th known attack since 1989 (the others included shootings, kidnappings and knife attacks)...
    Use of civilians
    See also: Human_shields#Gaza_and_the_West_Bank
    " A Hamas official has commented on the use of Palestinian civilians in warfare. On February 29, 2008, Fathi Hamad, a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, stated on Al-Aqsa TV,
    For the Palestinian people death became an industry, at which women excel and so do all people on this land: the elderly excel, the Jihad fighters excel, and the children excel. Accordingly (Palestinians) created a human shield of women, children, the elderly and the Jihad fighters against the Zionist bombing machine, as if they were saying to the Zionist enemy: ‘We desire death as you desire Life"

    Gaza\'s Unseen Highway to Terror - CBN.com

    "Things may appear quiet in the Gaza Strip these days, but there\'s a lot of activity going on that you don\'t see."
    Hamas and the United States
    "...Hamas has an extensive infrastructure in the US mostly revolving around the activities of fundraising, recruiting and training members, directing operations against Israel, organizing political support and operating through human-rights front groups. While Hamas has not acted outside Israel, it has the capability of carrying out attacks in America if it decided to enlarge the scope of its operations...
    Hamas Mickey Mouse Teaches Terror to Kids

    "Defiant Hamas TV airs resistance Mickey, Again
    http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?...
    VIDEO (partial):
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=so5U1l...
    Farfur is teaching Palestinian children the ABCs of terror on Hamas' official television station, Al-Aqsa TV.
    The message seems to be working. Poems and songs submitted by young viewers contain violent imagery. "Rafah sings 'Oh, oh,'" one caller says as Farfur mimes carrying a rifle. "Its answer is an AK-47."
    InfoLive TV News
    http://www.infolive.tv/"

  • HAMAS (Islamic Resistance Movement), from globalsecurity.org

  • Gaza Jihad: Calm before the Storm - CBN.com
    "Islamic Jihad may be driven by hate for Israel, but there's an element of respect as they train for war."
    *see GoodnewsEverybody: Middle East-Persians of Iran
    Gaza Crisis, from Godtube.com
    "A quarter of a million innocent Israeli men, women, and children in Southern Israel are under constant attack from rockets and mortar rounds fired by Hamas terrorist inside Gaza. There is an immediate critical need for emergency relief, protection, and care including bomb shelters, trauma centers, and much more. The Fellowship is currently on the ground in this war zone providing for these needs in the midst of this crisis. Will you please help us?"
  • Large Islamic Website Still Carries Material Advocating Destruction of Israel- Forum claims dedication to "dialogue and mutual exchange of sometimes drastically different and even diametrically opposed ideas" By Jeremy Reynalds Correspondent for ASSIST News Service Friday, February 6, 2009

  • "ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (ANS) -- Operators of a British-based Islamic website are speaking out against a charge in a British tabloid that some of its users are extremists targeting leading British Jews.
    The newspaper story said the alleged “targeting” is in retaliation for Israel’s invasion of Gaza.
    However, the site continues to carry material advocating the destruction of Israel.
    A 2006 posting reads in part (www.ummah.com/forum/showthread.php?t=76374), "The Followers of Ahl Us-Sunnah wal Jamma call upon all Muslim individuals, groups and organizations to show their support verbally, physically and financially to the Mujahideen who are struggling against the fascist entity called Israel so that it can be destroyed once and for all thereby liberating the land of Palestine, the Golan Heights and the Gaza Strip which belong to the Muslims and allowing the Muslims to implement Islamic law.”
    The rhetoric continues, "The obligation to engage in Jihad (holy war) is Fardun Ayn (an individual duty) today upon every responsible Muslim, according to their capability, wherever they are. Let us therefore respond to the call of Allah ... and his Messenger Muhammad ... and let the enemies of Islam and the Muslims go to hell."
    However, following a complaint, Britain’s Press Complaints Commission (PCC) is looking into the Jan. 7 front-page story in the Sun newspaper headlined "Terrorists Target Sugar," with quotes by anti-terror researcher Glen Jenvey.
    Sajid, the person who apparently initiated the complaint, appears to be site administrator for Ummah.com (http://209.85.229.132/search?q=cache:x-TomC1fw98J:www.www.ummah.net/forum/showthread.php%3Fp%3D2396511+Sajid+admin+ummah.com&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=15&gl=uk)
    The story claimed online Muslim forum Ummah.com was allegedly being used by radical Islamics to target The Apprentice star Sir Alan Sugar, singer Amy Winehouse, producer Mark Ronson, the Labor Party's Lord Levy and others.
    The Sun story quoted a contributor on the forum called "Abuislam," asking “Have we got a list of top Jews we can target? Can someone post names and addresses?"
    Ummah forum administrators posted a vocal defense of their site (www.ummah.com/forum/showthread.php?t=197121), headlined “Ummah forum detest today's misleading article in ‘The Sun,’" and alleged that Abuislam is really Jenvey, claiming confirmation from his IP and email addresses.
    In an e-mailed statement, Jenvey denied being Abu Islam, adding that some inflammatory posts formerly on the site have now been either removed or manipulated to the forum administrators’ advantage.
    He said, “Over the years I have monitored both www.ummah.net and www.ummah.com and their chat rooms. I know they hate me enough to try and discredit me."
    The Ummah writer (s) continued, “Ummah Forums is based on the premise that through dialogue and mutual exchange of sometimes drastically different and even diametrically opposed ideas, people from all parts of the world can come to understand each other and if unable to become friends, they can at least be friendly by recognizing their shared humanity.”
    However, not mentioned is Ummah’s former hosting of jailed extremist Abu Hamza's Supporters of Shariah website (SOS), http://web.archive.org/web/20000831081335/www.ummah.net/sos/aj1/ajindex.html".
    The web archive provides a record of SOS being hosted by Ummah.net, which is the same as ummah.com from 1999 to 2003 at http://web.archive.org/web/* /http://ummah.net/sos
    Abu Hamza was jailed in 2006 for seven years after being found guilty of inciting murder and race hate (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4690224.stm).
    In addition, encouragements to jihad (Islamic holy war) currently appear on the Ummah site (http://209.85.229.132/search?q=cache:7C1zYFU0ogMJ:www.ummah.net/forum/showthread.php%3Ft%3D198569+Jihad+is+our+way+ummah&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2).
    Quoting from another site, one person wrote, “Jihad becomes (an individual’s duty) when a person is in the battlefield, if the enemy invades a Muslim country, if the imam appoints a person or urges him to fight, or if his particular skills are needed because he has good knowledge of military matters or weapons and so is needed by the mujaahideen, and there is no one else with this knowledge or these skills. And Allah knows best.”
    Someone else wrote, “I personally believe it is (our duty). Some ... say otherwise.”
    And a portion of the Muslim Brotherhood Movement’s Frequently Asked Questions carried on the site (www.ummah.net/ikhwan/questions.html) reads in part, “Are you saying that if a government overthrow brings an ‘Islamic’ state in Egypt, Bosnian and Iraqi problems will be solved right away ?”
    The answer was, “No, but it will put us on the way to solving these problems! (The Islamic religious militia) believe that the reason for our misery today is that we do not obey Allah and we do not follow his laws and his orders. An Islamic state will ... put us on the right path.”
    The PCC is looking into whether or not Abuislam is Jenvey. It has also contacted the Sun and is awaiting the paper's response.
    Jenvey and former colleague Johnathan Galt years ago listed Ummah as a problem site (www.geocities.com/johnathanrgalt/ummahnews_com.html). According to Galt, at that time, the site’s apparent owner was Osman Muhammad and its administrative contact was an S.H. Ahmed, both listing the same London address. "

    Miscellaneous

  • Info-Please

  • "..The history of the proposed modern Palestinian state, which is expected to be formed from the territories of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, began with the British Mandate of Palestine. From Sept. 29, 1923, until May 14, 1948, Britain controlled the region, but by 1947, Britain had appealed to the UN to solve the complex problem of competing Palestinian and Jewish claims to the land. In Aug. 1947, the UN proposed dividing Palestine into a Jewish state, an Arab state, and a small international zone. Arabs rejected the idea. As soon as Britain pulled out of Palestine in 1948, neighboring Arab nations invaded, intent on crushing the newly declared State of Israel. Israel emerged victorious, affirming its sovereignty. The remaining areas of Palestine were divided between Transjordan (now Jordan), which annexed the West Bank, and Egypt, which gained control of the Gaza Strip.
    Through a series of political and social policies, Jordan sought to consolidate its control over the political future of Palestinians and to become their speaker. Jordan even extended citizenship to Palestinians in 1949; Palestinians constituted about two-thirds of the country's population. In the Gaza Strip, administered by Egypt from 1948–1967, poverty and unemployment were high, and most of the Palestinians lived in refugee camps.
    In the Arab-Israeli War of 1967, Israel, over a period of six days, defeated the military forces of Egypt, Syria, and Jordan and annexed the territories of East Jerusalem, the Golan Heights, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and all of the Sinai Peninsula. The Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), formed in 1964, was a terrorist organization bent on Israel's annihilation. Palestinian rioting, demonstrations, and terrorist acts against Israelis became chronic. In 1974, PLO leader Yasir Arafat addressed the UN General Assembly, the first stateless government to do so. Violence again escalated in 1987 during the intifada (“shaking off”), a new era in Palestinian mass mobilization. In 1988, Yasir Arafat publicly eschewed terrorism and officially recognized the state of Israel."

    Movies

  • Salt Films, Palestinian Christians in the Northern West Bank
  • Network

  • Palestinian Online
  • Persecution

    Palestinian Christians

    Rami Martyr Acoustic Prayers for the Gaza Strip, from Godtube.com
    "Original song about dear brother martyred on Oct. 6 in Gaza Strip by Steve Mashni

    Prayer

    Fasting Prayer for Israel and Palestinian people

    "www.kgpaul.com"
    *see GoodnewsEverybody: Middle East-Abrahamic Faith
    Acoustic Prayers for the Gaza Strip Children of Abraham

    "original song by steve mashni to the people of the holy land"

    Religion
    *note: there are many different religions, but Islam makes up the majority...

  • Muslim, from my perspective and knowledge
  • The Cross Over T.V.
    Tass, former Fatah fighter. Convert from Islam to Christ-P1

    "(Part1) Taysir Abu Saada "Tass" was a Fatah fighter trained to kill Jews. His hatred was so strong he dreamed of poisoning Jews who frequented the restaurant where he worked. Moran Rosenblit was a soldier for Israel who became embittered after a Palestinian suicide bomber killed seven of his friends. Improbably, these former enemies now talk to each other almost every day, sharing a profound friendship and love only possible because of Jesus Christ...
    \r\n
    \r\nhttp://www.biblenetworknews.com/north..."

  • Christians

  • Palestinian Christians

    "The Palestinian Christians consider themselves the forgotten faithful. The media around the world outlets do not portray the lives of Christians in Palestine, so the truth does not get delivered on the doorsteps of everybody's homes. Furthermore, the complicated politics and persistent violence in the region make people hesitant to start learning the facts. The big picture doesn't come quickly, and it takes time to become comfortable with the new issues. Many organized Christian Churches recognize the crisis facing the future of the Christian presence in the Holy Land.
    Our Palestinian Christians' Goal:
    • Educating people about the plight of Christians in the Holy Land. • Building Christian solidarity between Christians all over the world and Palestinian Christians through pilgrimages, publications, and communications. • Developing church-to-church, family-to-family, and person-to-person partnership programs in order to bring people of the world and Palestinian Christians together for future cooperation. • Selecting, funding, and overseeing specific projects that provide better living conditions for Christians in the Holy Land. Project areas focus on employment, education, and housing.
    HELPFUL LINKS:
    A majority of fifty-six percent of Palestinian Christians are found outside of their country. - http://www.al-bushra.org/holyland/sab...
    On October 30, 1948, the Israeli Army marched into the northern Galilee village of Eilaboun (عيلبون). My uncle Badia and 17 other men from the village, who had been hiding with the rest of the village in two churches, were marched to the village square. - http://www.sonsofeilaboun.com
    News about the Palestinian Christians and Support: http://www.hcef.org/
    Myspace Palestinian Christians group:
    http://groups.myspace.com/Palestinian...
    Tags: Palestinian Christians Jews Muslims Holy Land Israel Zionist Palestine

    Palestinian Christians, from answers.com

    Testimonies

  • Arafat's Driver Told ‘You must love the Jews', Friday, July 16, 2010 By Dan Wooding Founder of ASSIST Ministries

  • " TOKYO, JAPAN (ANS) -- Tass Saada was born in the teeming Gaza Strip and grew up in Saudi Arabia and Qatar. In his early years he learned to hate both Jews and Christians. It was then just a short step for him to become a trained sniper and driver for the PLO founder Yasser Arafat.
    Tass Saada
    For “fun” Tass would toss hand grenades in Christian churches in Jordan. Killing Israeli soldiers in revenge for “occupying” Palestinian land was also part of his life’s plan and purpose.
    What Tass did not bargain on, however, was when he emigrated to America, he would meet an astute business man who told the attentive Palestinian that he had “connections.”
    Saada wanted to know more and couldn’t even sleep due to his curiosity about this matter. He was not prepared for the answer that he received. That business man told Tass that he had a relationship with Jesus Christ.
    Falling to his knees the one-time killer knew that this was the one, written about in the Qur'an, and what he had been searching for all of his life. It all made sense to this seeker. However, there was a “catch” that almost caused Tass to give up.
    Yasser Arafat
    "You have to love the Jews” the Christian told him. “You must love the Jews.” From that moment the "Jew hater," Tass Saada, a son of Ishmael, began to feel such love for the sons of Isaac that he never turned or looked back to his life of violence and hatred.
    Today Tass has outreaches to the young in Jericho and in Gaza and in a number of other countries. He feels that since he once trained young people for violence he now wants to show today’s youth the way to a peace that passes all understanding.
    In America he became a successful businessman and a believer in Jesus Christ. Yet he felt that he needed to do more. Selling all of his assets and properties acquired in the States he put his future into the next generation.
    Cover of Tass's book
    He now runs a humanitarian work called “Hope for Ishmael” and has also written a popular book (with Dean Merrill) about his experiences called “Once an Arafat Man: The True Story of How a PLO Sniper Found a New Life.”
    Tass travels worldwide sharing his story of love and forgiveness through Jesus Christ.
    Tass shared his testimony earlier this year to thousands of delegates at the “Global Mission Consultation” in Tokyo, Japan.
    He also took some time to be interviewed for HFC International and OLI Production’s international television program “Principles of Leadership,” Other guests in the 52 part series have included
    David Sullivan during filming of interview with Tass Saada “God’s Smuggler” Brother Andrew, the former Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey, the founder of Youth with a Mission, Loren Cunningham, the founder of Operation Mobilization George Verwer, “The Vicar of Baghdad” Canon Andrew White, TV teacher Andrew Wommack, Anne Graham Lotz, daughter of evangelist Billy Graham and former head of the British Army General Sir Richard Dannatt.
    "Principles of Leadership” is being produced by OLI Productions - the media arm of a British leadership training charity Harvest Fields Commissioning International. HFC International, a U.K. Registered Charity, has a mission to assist in raising up and encouraging churches and leaders in over 46 countries and on all 5 continents for work in churches, charities and other humanitarian assistance groups. Its website is at: www.principles.tv.
    For further information or high-res photos contact: Press Department info@principles.tv
    Story based on a news release from HFC International (www.hfcinternational.org) Dan Wooding, 69, is an award winning British journalist now living in Southern California with his wife Norma, to whom he has been married for 46 years. He is the founder and international director of ASSIST (Aid to Special Saints in Strategic Times) and the ASSIST News Service (ANS). He was, for ten years, a commentator, on the UPI Radio Network in Washington, DC., and now hosts the weekly “Front Page Radio” show on KWVE in Southern California and which is also carried on the Calvary Radio Network throughout the United States. The program is also aired in Great Britain on Calvary Chapel Radio UK. Wooding also a regular contributor to The Weekend Stand on the Crawford Broadcasting Network, and a host for His Channel Live, which is carried via the Internet to some 192 countries. He is the author of some 44 books. Two of the latest include his autobiography, “From Tabloid to Truth”, which is published by Theatron Books. To order a copy, press this link. Wooding, who was born in Nigeria of British missionary parents, has also recently released his first novel “Red Dagger” which is available here"

    -Peace
    *see GoodnewsEverybody.com Life: Peace, Quietness, Reconciliation, Rest, etc...

  • Bethlehem Christmas Project

  • Israeli, Palestinian, and American Christians delivering Christmas gifts

    "The story of the Bethlehem Christmas Project, a team of Palestinian, Israeli & American Christians delivering Christmas gifts to orphans, children with special needs, and children suffering from post-traumatic stress in, and around, Bethlehem. The video is about the project's gift delivery in 2007. In the spirit of the Project, this film was created by an American, Israeli and Palestinian production team."
    *see GoodnewsEverybody.com Challenges-Physically, Mentally, Handicapped, Vulnerable, etc...
  • ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN RECONCILIATION MINISTRY GATHERS LEADERS AND FAMILIES FOR REUNION By Michael Ireland Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service Thursday, April 14, 2005

  • "JERUSALEM, ISRAEL (ANS) -- Leaders and their families who attended last years’ Musalaha Reconciliation Ministries' Family Conference recently reunited for a follow-up gathering, where around 70 people participated. (Pictured: Young people getting together at the conference).
    Before the event, many people were looking forward to the meeting; the children were especially excited and had a great deal of fun playing games and doing projects, according to a report received by ASSIST News Service (ANS)...
    In the last 15 years, Musalaha has concentrated its main work of reconciliation among Israeli and Palestinian believers in the Messiah.
    "We have welcomed non-believers to our activities, and some have participated. Our hearts' desire from the beginning, as stated in the mission statement, has been to share our message and principles of reconciliation with our respective non-believing communities, including segments of Israeli Jewish and Palestinian Muslim. In exploring ways to convey the message of reconciliation, we are mindful of the issues that we do not want to lose the unique and the distinct message and foundation that we have as believers," the ministry spokesman said. "

    Travel

  • Palesine-Net

  • "Palestine may not be highlighted on the world tourist map because of political and other reasons. This does not, however, change the fact that Palestine is one of the greatest places to visit for all types of travel. After all, it was Palestine where the human civilization started and flourished. The world's great religions, Judiasm, Christianity and Islam all flowered in Palestine. Jerusalem, the city of peace, is still a witness to the great cultural and religious mixture"

    Women

  • WOMEN’S CONFERENCE IN TURKEY BUILDING A FOUNDATION BETWEEN ISRAELIS AND PALESTINIANS By Michael Ireland Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service Monday, July 4, 2005

  • "ISTANBUL, TURKEY (ANS) -- As another part of its women’s activities, 15 Israeli and Palestinian women participated in a Musalaha Reconciliation Ministries conference in Istanbul, Turkey, May 4 - 7.
    "We have found that traveling together to a neutral location creates a unique dynamic for Palestinians and Israelis to come together. Not only are they away from their context and on neutral ground, but also they have the chance to get away from distractions, and to focus on building relationships in a new atmosphere," said Salim Munayer, one of the organizers.
    "It is not easy for so many women to get released from their busy lives with jobs and families, so we were excited to have this group of fifteen. The group size was small enough so that we could get to know each other well, and also large enough to have different perspectives and communities represented," Munayer said....

    As one participant said, "I think we are building something. A foundation of some sort. I would love to see this group growing in deeper fellowship, so we can come to the point of feeling safe to share and pray through deeper things. I also would love to see some practical things that we can do together; but maybe not tomorrow. I still feel we need more commitment to one another on a human level and that takes time."

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