As we pray for the peace of
Jerusalem
Prophetic News and Commentary
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Jeremiah 6:17 Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet….
Isaiah 62:6 I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O
Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make
mention of the LORD, keep not silence,
V:7 And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise
in the earth.
Psalms
122:6 Pray for the peace of
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Furthermore, the comments are not meant to be an exact end-all answer to the study and
interpretation of end-times events and how it relates to biblical
prophecy. Much of the interpretation of biblical prophecy is subjective and open to many different
viewpoints; until such time as God reveals how perfectly His Word will be
fulfilled. What we wish to accomplish in these reports is to
encourage the reader to be as the Bereans and search
the scriptures to see if these things are so (see Acts 17:10-11)
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The following articles are compiled by:
Rick Allinson
Christmas Tourism Up in Bethlehem But Christians Still Troubled
Source:CNS News
18
December 2007
– Tourism
is expected to be higher than it was last Christmas in the West Bank
city of Bethlehem, but the increase won't be enough to slow the
exodus of local Arab Christians from the city where Jesus was born,
local residents said.
Bethlehem Mayor Victor Batarseh, himself a Roman Catholic, said
tourism is on the upswing because of the promotion efforts of church
officials, the Palestinian Authority and the Bethlehem municipality.
"Last year, tourism was only about 10 to 15 percent of the normal,
but fortunately this year things have improved. Pilgrimage and
tourism have gone up to about 60 percent of our normal. Last month
we had about 80,000 tourists coming to the city," Batarseh told
journalists this week in his Bethlehem office.
Tourism used to be the primary source of income for Bethlehem. It
was a booming industry for shopkeepers, souvenir manufacturers,
hotel and restaurant owners, tour guides as well as support
services.
But seven years of Palestinian political unrest and violence,
coupled with Israeli crackdowns on terrorism, left the city's
economy in shambles and accelerated the departure of native
Christians from the city.
(Some Western and Israeli sources say that friction between Muslims
and Christians is also a major factor in the exodus of the Christian
population in Palestinian areas, but Palestinian Christians rarely
admit it publicly.)
An estimated 35 percent of the city of Bethlehem's 32,000 residents
are Christian, a decrease from the estimated 92 percent in 1948. The
rest are Muslim.
Comments: Another slow Christmas in Bethlehem this year and the prospect for tourism are not looking very good for the future. Tourism is showing a little sign of recovery but years of conflict between Israel and the Palestinians have driven Christians and businesses out of Bethlehem. The West Bank barrier has also had a severely negative impact on Bethlehem; politically, socially, and economically. The barrier runs along the northern side of the town's built-up area, within metres of houses in 'A'ida refugee camp on the one side, and the Jerusalem municipality on the other. Since 1995, Bethlehem became one of the areas under the full control of the Palestinian National Authority in conformance with the Oslo Accords.
Note; This will be my last post until 2 January 2008. I pray that everyone has a safe and happy Christmas and all the best in the New Year.
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Keep watching (Matt 24:42)!
Shalom!