As he heads to what could be a sea of controversy in Israel-Palestine, Pope Benedict XVI's Middle East trip has been marked by a strong message of reconciliation and affirmation of hard-pressed historic Christian communities in the region.

Baptist leaders and dignitaries -- including former British Prime Minister Tony Blair -- took part in a ceremony at the weekend dedicating a new evangelical Christian baptism centre

Prince El Hassan bin Talal of Jordan has been named as the 2008 winner of the Niwano Peace Prize for efforts at building peace with justice in the Middle East, especially with regard to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Calls are growing for Britain and the US to do more for the two million refugees who have fled Iraq since the invasion four years ago.

Describing the past six months as "a disaster for Palestinians and indeed the whole Middle East," the leading Lutheran bishop in Jerusalem has urged US Christians to join their Middle East brothers and sisters and say they are "fed up" with stigmatization, bloodshed, hatred and occupation affecting both Israelis and Palestinians.

Concerns are growing at the level of hardship being experienced across Jordan as a result of the growing number of Iraqi refugees, in what Christian charity World Emergency Relief (WER) is calling a ‘hidden crisis'.

Presbyterians in the United States are being urged to celebrate a week of prayer and witness next year in support of Christians in the Middle East - writes Evan Silverstein for PC (USA) news.