I am sick and tired of hearing people say that Islam is against Jews or Christians. There are people who adopt the name of Islam to do horrible things but this does not mean that Islam as a religion is violent or that it encourages "purity." If you want to speak of people who see a Christian and Jewish free Middle East do not use the word Islam to represent them.

the Christians have put you (jews) under their shoes for 2000 years. so do not try to hide your hate to Christians

& it is continuing at a pace most spectacular. When the forces involved have succeeded in their aim(the total anhilation of Christians)then what will the remaining population be? A mix of...Molslems. Unified in their belief & oh so unified in all aspects of life. NOT! Yet this aim is what we are being led to believe is in the Moslems favour. How stupendously ridiculous this is & will more become. Look at the religions who have been considered mono. They have decimated themselves so severely as to be torn apart. Yet, they would have many believe that their form of religion is the finest & best. For those who care to search...Christianity has done 2 things in past history. First.it caused many to lose their lives. Second, it caused many to find their lives. It is a religion that urges its followers to love one another, as u would love yourself. How does that mantra fit in wtih the up & comming religion of Moslems? Their mantra is just the opposite...hate your neighbor as u would hate yourself....and kill the infidel wherever u may find them. With the demise of Christians...we shall be left with a religion in the area of death & destruction. Wait for it. Its comin.

so put that in your pipe and smoke it

As a Christian-arab,I completely disagree with mr. Meotti notion that Israel some how is our defender. This couldn’t be any further away from the truth. History proves otherwise as on many occasions Israel was as vicious towards Christians as the evil Islamists are. - During the 1948 war Israel destroyed many Christian towns/villages and caused chrisitan to flee or be killed - After the 1948 war Israel force evacuated two villages in the north (Iqrit & Bir’im), to this day refuses to let the Christians back - When Muslims built an illegal and provocative mosque in Nazareth next to our Basilica, Jewish government of Erick Sharon sided with the terrorists. - In 2005 when Druze rioted in Maghar, attached Christians and destroyed their property, Israeli police stood by and watched Christian flee. Bottom line, unless israel’s actions change, this who article is not valid..

Is this what they mean by the religion of peace? They will have peace after all non muslims are disappeard? But how do they explain of muslims killing muslims on daily basis? I think islam hates everyone.

The writer is not only ignorant of the facts in the Middle East, but is also trying to cover Israel's crimes. Many Bethlehem Christians leave Palestine, including some of my family members. Why??? Because Israel has been stealing our land from us. My family owns large olive fields in Bethlehem/Jerusalem region. Israel illegaly stole the land and closed it to our use declaring it a 'closed military zone'. This is the reason that gives trouble to Palestinian Christians. Most landowners in Bethlehem are Christians. Many Muslims are refugee families who were forced out of their homes by Israel decades ago. Israel's appetite is not over, now Israel is stealing our land in Bethlehem. This writer and Israel must stop trying to spread disinformation and face your crimes against Christian and Muslim Palestinians.

Why don't you finish the story? In the end, the Israeli government reversed its decision and did not allow the illegal and provocative mosque to be built next to the Basilica of the Annunciation. The Islamic Movement 'protest tent' was removed, the mosque foundations were dismantled, and the site paved over.

The line about Bethlehem and the tragedy of no priests there is truly remarkable given that Israel has kept Palestinians in Bethlehem, Muslims and Christians, in a giant concrete ghetto. Are you kidding with this stuff? Stay in delusion and be a racist maniac instead of taking these issues of apartheid seriously. You ignore these issues at your own expense.

You stupid ignorant, look at the middle east, as far as the Jews are concerned, in 1940, they were close to 1 million Jews in the Arab world, they have been reduced to around 7000 today. So, learn the facts before you open your mouth.

Islam is indeed the most intolerant life philosophy in world history. There is NO dealing with it in the free world at all. Only through literal containment (and what would be considered outright prejudice by most of the west) will the free world ever remain free. Christians will indeed be wiped from all Muslim countries and the ME will remain Islamic for a long time to come. Only when the free world reaches a level of sophistication that is so appealing will the general Muslim population forsake their religion for a watered down version or non at all and rebel against Islam to become part of mankind. Islam itself is under the greatest threat of extinction due to it's intolerance for everything outside of it. And indeed the day will come when Islam will be wiped clean from the earth. History has shown that such groups, no matter how large, ultimately face obliteration and wrath. Due to it's extreme level of hatred and it's position opposite everything obviously civilized about the human disposition, it cannot and will not survive. As far as Christianity and it's extinction, one need only look at Europe and her "colonies" (Australia, Canada, new zeland, etc) to see that it's fate is the same as the ME as it is virtually everywhere outside of the US and Israel. So be it: the Christians are facing the same fate as the Jews and as the author and many others assert: friendship and collaboration between the Jews and Christians is a no brainer. Yet another reason NOT to allow a PA state in Israel: it would be genocide against religions and cultures not to mention people. But you'd have to convince the leftists of that...but since they despise religious expression and are as fanatical as the terrorists themselves, it won't be anytime soon. Either way, ultimately, the fate of any organization that strays from the ultimate path of moderation first will die out, leaving only those who are sophisticated left to live the meaningful life we all yearn and strive for.

You didn't read the artical right. The author is in agreement with you. He may have used the word Leaving where as you used the word stealing. But he did say Christians are leaving and to my supprise. I know some Jews don't like Christains from experience and visa versa. A study of history and God's word should bring people a little closer together with more patience and understanding. A little more forgiving wouldn't hurt also to those who are inocent of any wrong doing.

I desagree from you. As a Brazilian Christian, from Maronite Lebanese ascendence, I saw, last year, during my travel to Middle Orient, in Israel, full respect for the Holy Places and for all Christian denominations. I could pray in the Wailing Wall. I visited, also, Bethlehem, Jericho and Betanya, beyond Egypt and Jordan; where I have perceived the same respect, but a continued hostility toward the Jewish State. Because of it, I think you, Palestinians, ought to recognize verily Israel; what was never done since 1948. On doing so, you will be legitimated to claim your State, through a honoured accord of peace. Some Israelian acts may be exaggerated, but no country is obliged to wait, calmly, her destruction. Remember the Holocaust. Change your attitudes, and the wished Peace will prevail forever.

life and history is the veridical proof,no more temple,no more sacrifices,the lord name all around the world,nations peoples looking for the lord way,the almighty is the lowest,the lord servant,there is and after and before him the lamb innocent soul but the strongest shepherd at all lives in zion forever,AMEN

It is a pretty well-known fact that Israelis hate Christians. Why doesn't the article mention the Gur Hassidim and Yad L'Achim. Now those are some real bigots.

sura 9:5 says that the infidel - non-muslims can be killed. The Koran also defines Jews and Christians as dhimmis - people who are second class citizens in an islamic society.

You are not telling the truth. Actually it is the muslims that believe that both Jews and Christians are inferior to them. As a result, muslims have the dhimmi laws - and Christians are being discriminated against by the muslims...and this is why they are leaving. At no time did Israel destroy christian homes. That you can thank your muslim friends for.

There was never an arab country called Palestine. In fact, the PA can only gain legitimacy through an agreement with Israel. Therefore Israel is on its own land. The majority of Israel is state land. So when you say that Israel is stealing your land, that is a falsehood.

Feel free to move to Gaza among your Muslim benefactors if you don't like Israel.

I'm sorry for your plight but if Christians would stop acting like Catholics, learn the Jewish roots of Christianity, and stop teaching replacement theology then maybe things will be better. How do you expect Israel to react when you celebrate the "Last Supper" and "Easter" and tell Jews they need to do the same? I'm a Hebrew Christian and I DON'T celebrate the "Last Supper" or "Easter". I celebrate the Passover and First Fruits. And I know that G-d's plan for Israel is the same now as it's always been. Move away from the Catholics, learn what you are grafted into, and support Israel for a change! Shalom!

Please stop calling yourself a Christian when you really are essentially a Catholic. Stop the "Mary" worship and learn the Jewish roots of the real Christian faith. Know what YOU are grafted into. And stop the replacement theology garbage. I'm a Hebrew Christian and I celebrate the Passover and First Fruits. Do you even understand that the Messiah is JEWISH ! The Messiah to the JEW first and ALSO to the Gentile! You can complain once you actually understand the true Christian theology. "Christ" (Messiah) is our Passover!

Quit lying and trying to defend the indefensible. If not for Israel, your kind would become extinct in the middle east. As far as I'm concerned, any Christian who sides with the muslims against Israel deservs to have their land conficated by the Israeli government and booted out of Israel permanently. Two faced dogs that they are!

As an "evangelical" Christian, I'd like to make a few comments: 1. Christians are not tied down to any earthly land. We can live anywhere. It does not have to be in Midldle East or specifially even in the "Holy Land.". 2. There are many Christians in the ME, most are underground esp. in places like Saudi Arabia. These Christians can not be easily counted. 3. In response to #3, Roman Catholics (also Christians today) are descendents of the empire (Roman) instituted version of Christianity. Earlier, the Romans were killing Christians in the arenas feeding them to wild animals and in other brutal ways, until Emperor Constantine had an awakening. The Romans also destroyed the 2nd Jewish Temple, killed many Jews during their occupation and drove them out of the Holy Land (The Diaspora). 4. Today, some of the staunchest allies of Jews and Israel's right to exist and be protected, are Evangelical Christians. I only hope the Roman Catholic Church would embark on this same journey and divert from its policy of appeasement to Islam.

closing your eyes to the horrors of Islam brings about your total extermination 1500 years ago Middle East was 90% Christian, today it is 98% Muslim. How do you Smart Alecs explain this if you say that the author is wrong? no. 7, except for the 2 villages you mention you have nothing else against Israel. The facts speak for themselves that in the last 60 years Christian population in Israel increased 5 folds while reduced 90% in the rest of the Muslim Middle East.

scared to agree hoping to avoid the same fate as Juliano and Vittorio

which worth nothing, but reflects very cheap right wing propaganda Its author has much to learn about reality of Christians, including the discrimination that they face in Israel

Regarding your accusation that Israel supposedly destroyed Christians villages in the 1948 war, please back this up by solid facts - names, dates, circumstances? Have the Jews destroyed these villages (as you say) without any reason, or were these villages involved in the fighting? As for Iqrit and Biram, this is correct. There was a fear that returning the inhabitants would set a dangerous precedent for Palestinians to claim lost villages inside Israel. However I believe the inhabitants were compensated. Still, there is hope this land would be given back someday. As for the mosque in Nazareth, to the best of my knowledge a compromise was reached in that case (the built mosque was smaller than intended). Still I fail to understand how allowing to build a mosque is a "vicious" step against Christians? Moreover, I don't remember the Christians of Nazareth being any more loyal and cooperative to the state of Israel than the Muslims of Nazareth. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong there. Regarding the riots in Maghar, this was a shameful case of the police being afraid to mess with the Druze thugs, many of whom serve in the army and own weapons. I do not justify this cowardness. And still despite all this, you know quite well that you are much safer and better off as a Christian in Israel, as imperfect as it may be, than in any other country in the Middle East. You do not need me to remind you about the Palestinian terrorists hijacking and ransacking the Church of the Nativity (under a direct order from Yasser Arafat), as well as the recent attack in the Copt Church in Alexandria. Of course, these are just two examples.

Giulio Meotti did not imply anything remotely similar to your outlandish claim.