To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Infobeat News items
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1999 08:58:55 -0500

From: "Moza" <moza7@netzero.net>

*** Palestinians seek Israel repayment

SHORESH, Israel (AP) - Palestinian negotiators raised a new
demand during talks on a peace treaty Thursday - compensation
for three decades of Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza
Strip. The new concept emerged during a 90-minute session
between negotiating teams at an Israeli resort near Jerusalem. The
Palestinians did not say how much money they are demanding.
Prime Minister Ehud Barak and other senior Israeli officials were in
Istanbul, Turkey, for an international conference and had no
comment on the Palestinian demand. Israel and the Palestinians
have set a target date of February for agreeing on a framework for
the peace accord, with a goal of signing the full treaty next
September. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2562137324-6da

*** Bethlehem sets millennium plans

JERUSALEM (AP) - Jesus' birthplace of Bethlehem will celebrate
the new millennium with 2,000 white doves, a lineup of world-class
choirs and biblical hikes in the footsteps of Mary and Joseph,
organizers said Thursday. For the past three years, Bethlehem
endured clutter and construction as it widened roads and revamped Manger
Square under the $160 million Bethlehem 2000 project. The city is
now poised to offer a packed 16-month schedule of cultural events
and a promise that the sound of music will replace the noise of
earthmoving equipment. Among those slated to appear are the
Vienna Boys' Choir and Moroccan singer Aysha Radwan.
See http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2562141563-ae6
*** Also: Israel, Jordan marking Jesus' path, see
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2562143577-fe2

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To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Persecution of Christians stepped up
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1999 09:00:04 -0500

From: owner-bpr@philologos.org

Persecution of Christians stepped up

Friday, November 19, 1999
by JAMES EAST in Bangkok

Christians are facing increased persecution, arrest and
intimidation by police determined to stamp out the faith and
shut churches, according to a new report.

Believers say officers are now forcing Hmong believers less
than 30km from the capital, Vientiane, to sign affidavits
promising to give up their faith.

Christian sources in neighbouring Thailand who monitor church-
related developments say this is the first time in years that
such intimidation has taken place so near the capital.

Full story:
South China Morning Post
http://www.scmp.com/News/Asia/Article/FullText_asp_ArticleID-199911190
30809017.asp

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To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Egypt wary of prophets of doom at millennium celebrations
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1999 09:39:12 -0500

From: owner-bpr@philologos.org

Tuesday, November 16 12:42 PM SGT

Egypt wary of prophets of doom at millennium celebrations

Egypt is on guard against "pyramidiots" preaching millennium
conspiracy theories on the Internet, with officials warning zero
tolerance if they descend on the Giza Pyramids expecting Satan
to appear as 2000 dawns.

At least two spiritual tour operators are advertising
millennium trips to the pyramids, billing guest speakers such as
David Icke, the former British television sportscaster-turned-
prophet of doom.

Icke and others are warning that ex-US president George Bush
will summon oppressive evil forces at a black mass in a dank
stone burial chamber deep inside the great Cheops pyramid at
midnight on December 31.

Full story:
http://asia.dailynews.yahoo.com/headlines/world/afp/article.html?s=asi
a/headlines/991116/world/afp/Egypt_wary_of_prophets_of_doom_at_millenn
ium_celebrations.html

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To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Israel Faces Challenges with Papal Visit
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1999 12:23:29 -0500

From: "Moza" <moza7@netzero.net>

Israel Faces Challenges With Papal Visit

JERUSALEM, Israel (CNS) -- With the Pope's millennium visit to
the Holy Land finally confirmed, Israel now faces the huge problem
of preparing an already bursting tourist infrastructure to handle the
many thousands of Christians expected to visit during the papal
pilgrimage.

The Vatican announced Wednesday that Pope John Paul would
visit the Holy Land next year, "in the last 10 days of March." That
ends months of speculation following a papal letter, in which Pope
John Paul II said as the century turned, he wanted to visit key
locations mentioned in the Bible. Last June, the Pope also said he
wanted to visit locations in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Syria and Greece
as well as Israel, but yesterday, a spokesman mentioned only
Nazareth, Jerusalem and a hillside overlooking the Sea of Galilee,
as well as Bethlehem in the Palestinian Authority-ruled areas.

Israel's Public Security Minister, Shlomo Ben Ami, called the
planned visit an "important milestone in relations between Israel
and the Jewish people and Christianity." The Israeli government
and private sector have poured millions of dollars into preparations
for the anticipated huge influx of Christian visitors into the tiny
country.

Early this year, Israeli tourism director-general Shabtai Shai said
Israel was optimistic it could accommodate up to 4.5 million
Christian visitors, although he warned of possible bottlenecks
around specific dates, such as Easter and Christmas. But a papal
visit promises to present an even greater challenge than Easter or
Christmas.

The Hebrew-language newspaper Ha'aretz reports Thursday that
church bodies began negotiations with the Israeli national airline
two weeks ago about the possible arrival of at least 13,000 young
people who would accompany the Pope. But accommodation and
transport for these visitors - not to mention the many other Catholic
pilgrims expected to attempt the journey - may be in short supply.
Even before the Vatican's announcement, Israeli hotels over that
period were already overbooked by some 2,000 reservations, the
report says, with the situation particularly serious in Jerusalem.

One example of the type of problem ahead was highlighted this
week, when Israel asked rival church denominations to resolve a
dispute over adding a new door to a 900-year-old church in
Jerusalem that is traditionally associated with Jesus' crucifixion,
burial and resurrection. Officials fear the enormously popular Holy
Sepulcher Church will not accommodate the expected number of
pilgrims wanting to visit, and that without a second exit, the
building would present a safety hazard.

However, several denominations have historically shared
responsibility for the Holy Sepulcher and attempts to alter a
carefully-negotiated and jealously-guarded status quo in force for
more than a century are fraught with difficulties. The churches
concerned - Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Armenian Orthodox,
Copt, Ethiopian, and Syrian - are not prepared to agree on a new
door, but at the same time, they say Israel should not be involved
in the dispute.

Historical churches recently criticized Israel over its intervention in
a land dispute between Christians and Muslims in Nazareth,
Israel's largest Arab town. An eventual Israeli decision to allow
Muslims to build a mosque adjacent to an important church there
was widely condemned, with a Vatican spokesman saying it could
jeopardize a papal visit to Jesus' hometown.

Churches said they would shut their doors for two days later this
month to protest the decision. Many of the local clergy of the
historic churches in Israel are Palestinian Arabs, and traditionally
have been hostile to Israel. Israeli and Palestinian counter-claims
to Jerusalem are likely to make the papal visit to the city a
politically sensitive one.

No pope has visited the city at the center of the Christian faith
since Israel captured Jordanian-ruled eastern Jerusalem in 1967,
and named the formerly divided city its capital. Along with most of
the international community, the Vatican does not recognize Israeli
sovereignty over Jerusalem. Israelis and Palestinians alike hope
the historic visit will support their claim to the city.

A Vatican spokesman in Jerusalem told CNSNews.com earlier this
year the Pope was aware of "the very delicate situation that
prevails here."

"But that shouldn't prevent him from coming," said Monsignor
Eugene Nugent. "He will come as a pilgrim and a man of peace.
The pope always says his trips are of a pastoral nature. Here
especially he is making a very, very strong statement that he
doesn't want it to be linked to a political agenda."

 (=A9 1999, Conservative News Service)

http://www.mcjonline.com/news/news3643.htm

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