[Man50D]

The Christian leaders said one of the most significant problems facing Christians in Bethlehem is the rampant confiscation of land by Muslim gangs.

Muslim gangs is a redundant term considering it is a precept in Islam to convert, subjugate or destroy all those Muslims view as dhimmis as the following article reveals.

Islamic Scholar Warns U.S. of 'Two-Faced' Muslims

[Biggirl]

Does not suprise me at all, this is all part of the Muslims plan to take over areas of shrines dear to Christians.

[Recon Dad]

I would not recommend that anyone traveling to Israel take the side trip to Bethlehem. We did and of all the time we spent traveling in Israel this was the scariest.
Your guides hand you off to Palestinians and for the next 4 or so hours they hold you captive. They want your dollars but they don’t want you.
I don’t know why the Israelis haven’t kicked every Palestinian out of the country this situation can not continue.

[Dixie Yooper]

The Christian religion is not confined to a piece of ground or place on a map. A pilgrimage back to a point of origin is not required of any of us to be saved.

[alicewonders]

The Lord is going to take care of that someday soon.

[DManA]

This could be God’s hand of grace protecting his people from the time of trial that may be at hand.

[Biggirl]

To the best of my memory, this is the first time I see you posting something outside of college football/UConn football. Keep up the good work. :-)

[reagan_fanatic]

Beatings, sham legal proceedings, property seizures, dismissal and replacement of elected Christian leaders, accusations of selling property to Jews and intimidation by gunmen with links to the government of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas have so reduced Christian populations in the cities of Jesus' birth and boyhood one community leader predicts all Christians will be gone within 15 years.

And the world shrugs its collective shoulders.

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

High volume. Articles on Israel can also be found by clicking on the Topic or Keyword Israel, WOT

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[Gritty]

[Convert from ECUSA]

Ping!

[alarm rider]

Time for a new Crusade.

[MeanWestTexan]

Bit of politics background here.

For reasons unknown to me, the Christians (who are generally Arab, which may be part of the issue) of the area over the years tended to align themselves with the Muslims politically against Israel proper.

There were various reasons for this: social and historical -— and also cowardance and/or idiocy.

Anyway, the Christians let the muzlims in — or flee -— and then things spiral down rapidly.

The same thing occurred/is occurring in Lebanon.

[bmwcyle]

The once vibrant Christian communities of Bethlehem and Nazareth, with roots in the "land of Jesus" going back to first century Israel, are rapidly declining

That says it all.