The Protestant development aid programme Kerkinactie has left the national platform of Dutch peace and development organizations advocating a resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict - writes Andreas Havinga for Ecumenical News International.
The decision of Kerkinactie to end its membership of United Civilians for Peace (UCP) was announced on 22 December and took effect earier this week.

As tension and violence continues to escalate in Gaza, Caritas Jerusalem, the Catholic aid agency, continues to be alarmed at the ongoing deterioration of the health situation in the Palestinian Territories - and involved in practical work to redress the situation.

A television documentary following British church leaders on a recent pre-Christmas 'pilgrimage of peace' to the Israel Palestine ‚Ä' and particularly Bethlehem, traditionally held to be the birthplace of Jesus ‚Ä' is due to be screened this weekend.

A delegation of Jewish, Christian and Muslim religious leaders met with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at the State Department today to support positive American engagement in achieving a bipartisan peace agreement in the Middle East.

In his Christmas message to the churches in Palestine, Israel, Jordan, and Cyprus, Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah has offered a vision of peace, justice, freedom and an end to the occupation for the Holy Land ‚Ä' so that it might truly be a sign of hope to the world.

As UK church leaders prepare for a pilgrimage to the beleagured city, news has emerged that a peacebuilding school in Bethlehem which welcomes Muslim, Christian and Jewish girls and boys has been told that part of their building is due to be demolished by the huge Israeli 'security wall' being constructed around the town.

With the urgent necessity for peace in Israel and Palestine at the top of the global agenda, a World Council of Churches meeting has begun work on setting up an international forum to galvanize world-wide church advocacy for the Middle East.

Anglican, Catholic, Free Church and Orthodox leaders in England are asking parish churches and local congregations throughout the country to pray for ‚Äòthe little town of Bethlehem' as they approach the final week of Advent ‚Ä' the Church's season of preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.

South African Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu says it is distressing that Israel blocked a planned mission by him and British professor Christine Chinkin to investigate the killing of 19 Palestinian civilians by Israeli shells - writes Peter Kenny for Ecumenical News International.

Church and civic leaders in Bethlehem, together with the Anglican and Catholic bishops of Jerusalem, have welcomed the plans by UK church leaders to make an Advent pilgrimage to Bethlehem - which is facing isolation, depopulation and economic collapse due to the Israel-Palestine conflict and the presence of the separation wall.