Excellent re Christians in Holy land esp worth watching the video

lizsim@btinternet.com sent you an article from haaretz.com

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/60-minutes-chides-israeli-envoy-for-interfering-in-segment-1.426128

Please click on the link above, or copy and paste the address into a browser window
>
> Thank you, 60 Minutes. Journalists who tell
> the truth about Palestinian life under occupation deserve our thanks, not political attacks.
>
>
> Dear Liz ,
>
> This week, something rare happened: A major U.S. media outlet actually showed the effects of the Israeli occupation on Palestinians.
>
> But the candid reporting by “60 Minutes”, America’s most respected news program, has unleashed a furious response from major Jewish and right-wing Christian groups. They’ve generated over 29,000 letters of complaint — many before the episode even aired.
>
> Unless we push back now — and thank “60 Minutes” — real journalism like this will become even more rare. Can you sign our petition to thank “60 Minutes”?
>
> Click here: http://www.ThankYou60Minutes.org
> I’m sure you’ll agree that now they need to hear from you and others who support their courageous and sadly all too accurate report about the Palestinian Christian exodus from cities like Bethlehem and Jerusalem.
>
> Under Israeli occupation, Palestinians have endured decades of unlawful home demolitions, checkpoints, land confiscation, detentions without charges, and much more. That’s primarily why Palestinians are leaving, and why Palestinian Christians issued a call to Christians in other lands to help create pressure on the Israeli government through divestment campaigns.
> In response to this call, this week the United Methodist Church is considering a historic vote to begin phased divestment from companies that profit from the occupation. The “60 Minutes” segment, which you can watch on our petition page, explains clearly why church divestment is the right thing to do. The occupation dehumanizes Christians, Muslims and Jews.
>
> Please, take a moment to sign the petition and share this link, http://www.ThankYou60Minutes.org, with your friends. Don’t let “60 Minutes” back down. We need more fair and truthful reporting, not less.
> Thank you,
>
> Cecilie Surasky
> Jewish Voice for Peace
>
>

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7406228n&tag=contentBody;storyMediaBox

The exodus from the Holy Land of Palestinian Christians could eventually leave holy cities like Jerusalem and Bethlehem without a local Christian population. Bob Simon reports.

The last Christian village in the Holy Land

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504803_162-57418048-10391709/the-last-christian-village-in-the-holy-land/?tag=contentBody;currentVideoInfo

This week, veteran 60 Minutes producer Harry Radliffe threw Overtime a real plum: the story of Taybeh.

He and correspondent Bob Simon stumbled on the tiny village of Taybeh while they were in the West Bank, reporting on the Holy Land’s vanishing population of Christians.
What makes Taybeh the last all-Christian village in the Holy Land? The village has no mosque and is home to three distinct Christian communities: Roman Catholics, Greek Orthodox and Melkite Greek Catholics.

Taybeh’s roots are deep, and for Christians, important: the biblical name of the village is Ephraim. According to the Bible, Jesus Christ came to Taybeh from Jerusalem before his crucifixion. John 11:54 states: “Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples.”

The name of the village was changed from Ephraim to Taybeh around 1187, by the Islamic leader Saladin.

Today, Taybeh’s population is dwindling, down to around 1500. The majority of Christians there are Greek Orthodox.

But have faith. The town’s resident Roman Catholic priest, Father Raed Abu Sahlia, isn’t going anywhere. As he told Bob Simon with a smile:

“I will assure you that even if all the Christians of the Holy Land will leave, and I will remain alone, I will get married, we will start another new generation.”

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COMMENTS ON BOTH PROGRAMMES ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE