"They live with in an atmosphere of intimidation and denial. This is particularly true of many of their religious leaders. Since Israel withdrew from the Palestinian cities and towns, it has very little influence over the way the Palestinian Authority and its' Muslim population behave. Moreover even humanitarian efforts by Israelis to stand up for Christians can backfire as they may be accused of being Israeli agents, a virtual death sentence in the armed anarchy of the Palestinian streets," said Weiner, who believes that religious persecution is having devastating effect on Palestinian Christians.
"I know of one church that has been attacked 14 times. The pastor was shot and left for dead. In this kind of atmosphere (and partially as a consequence of these attacks), thousands are leaving the cradle of Christianity. According to my estimate, if current trends continue, only the relics and holy sites will be left in another 15 years. The Christian community in Bethlehem will cease to exist," Weiner added.
Finto agreed, "It's so hard for Palestinian Christians to live there in Bethlehem, that they are leaving when they get a chance to leave...Somehow, they are making it very uncomfortable for them, and putting pressure on them to be pro-Palestinian, governmentally."
Human Rights of Christians in Palestinian Society : On the heels of the Gaza disengagement, which was intended to empower the Palestinian Authority to improve the lives of its people, few journalists have reported on the acutely trying times facing the Christians residing in areas "governed" by the Palestinian Authority. In his book, Professor Weiner, Scholar in Residence at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, provides an in-depth look into the nearly uninterrupted persecution of Christians throughout the decade since the Oslo peace process began.
God's Promise and the Future of Israel: What does Scripture say about the future of the nation of Israel? What is right and wrong about the Messianic Jewish movement? Where do the Arab nations fit into God’s plan? How does this all affect the Church and how can the Church fulfill its role in this end-time scenario? Don Finto explores these questions and shows how to navigate the new landscape in this illuminating book.
