Christians living in Palestinian areas are often caught in the middle of conflicts between Israel and Islamic elements controlling the Palestinian Authority.

The United Nations divided the Palestinian territory into two parts in 1947. One part was given to the Jewish people; Israel became an independent country in 1948. The other part was given to the Palestinian Arabs in the region. In 1967, Israel gained control of Gaza and the West Bank – places were many Palestinians now live. Israel has since removed their soldiers and settlers from Gaza, which resulted in power struggles between different Palestinian groups. In 2007, a militant group called Hamas gained control of Gaza. Clashes continue between the Palestinians and Israelis.

The instability of the Palestinian regions creates an unpredictable setting for the Christians who live there. Palestinian Christians are often rejected by Israel and they also face difficulties from the militant Islamic groups in Palestine. The government is often unable to effectively protect minority groups. As such, Christians have steadily left the area and the population is now only around two percent Christian. Christians in the area face frequent opposition from authorities and militants because of their efforts to share Christ. In October 2007, Rami Ayyad, the manager of the only Christian bookstore in Gaza, was abducted and murdered. Ayyad had previously received a number of death threats from people angered by his work. In March 2008, the teenage son of a pastor was seriously injured when a bomb disguised as a gift was delivered to his home in the West Bank on a Jewish festival.

• Pray for protection for Christians in the often unstable Palestinian regions.
• Pray that the Palestinian Authority will fully respect the rights of all people in Palestine.