Place of the Nativity Listed as a World Heritage Site

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has approved the Palestinian National Authority's request that the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem be listed as a World Heritage site. The church was listed as being "in danger" due to the political unrest in the area and its general need for significant repairs. More here.

Russian President Visits Holy Places in Jerusalem, Bethlehem

As part of his recent state visit to Israel Russian President Vladimir V. Putin has made a pilgrimage to the holy places of Jerusalem and Bethlehem, stopping at the Church of the Resurrection (the "Holy Sepulchre") in Jerusalem and the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. In Jerusalem the president was welcomed by Patriarch Theophilus III (Giannopoulos) of Jerusalem and representatives of the Armenian Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Russian Orthodox Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem. More here.

Palestinian President Meets with Visiting Russian Orthodox Metropolitan

As part of his ongoing visit to the Holy Land Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev) has met with President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) in the West Bank city of Ramallah. During their meeting the two discussed relations between Palestine and the Russian Orthodox Church and the ongoing political developments in the Middle East. Archimandrite Isidore (Minayev), head of the patriarchal Russian Orthodox Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem, and the representative of the Russian Federation to the PNA also participated in the meeting. More here.

Israel Approves Construction of 1,600 Housing Units in East Jerusalem

The Israeli Interior Ministry has authorized the construction of 1,600-unit apartment complex in predominantly Palestinian Arab East Jerusalem. The Interior Ministry simultaneously announced that it would shortly approve the construction of a further 2,700 more housing units in East Jerusalem. The approval comes as the Palestinian National Authority prepares to request admission to the United Nations as an independent state. More here.

Palestinian Orthodox Metropolitan Backs Calls for Preservation of Jerusalem Cemetery

Metropolitan Theodosius (Hanna) of Sebaste of the Jerusalemite Orthodox Church has added his voice to calls from Palestinian and Israeli Arabs that the destruction of the Holy City's historic Mamilla Cemetery be halted. The cemetery, which is the burial place of many Palestinian Arab residents of Jerusalem, is being razed to make way for the 'Museum of Tolerance.' More here.

Israel Opens Jordan River Site to Daily Visits

Israel has opened the site of the Lord's baptism in the Jordan River to daily visits for the first time since the area's occupation by Israeli forces. More here.

Israel Approves West Bank Housing Expansion

The Israeli government has approved the construction of 294 homes on Palestinian Arab territory on the West Bank in the wake of an announcement from the US government that it still expects a peace between Israel and the Palestinian National Authority to include Palestinian Arab control of the entirety of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The houses will become residences for Jewish fundamentalists wanting to live in the area. More here.

"Arab Christians and their Rights"

An excellent article explaining the reasoning behind the ancient Orthodox Churches' defense of the Middle Eastern dictatorships they have found themselves in over the last few decades can be found here.

Efforts Made to Reduce Immigration of Jerusalem's Christians

The Roman Catholic Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Holy Land's Franciscans have agreed to work together to expand the availability of affordable housing to Jerusalem's Christians in the hopes of stemming the immigrations of the Holy City's Christian residents. More here.

Sarah Palin at the Wailing Wall

After a visit to Jerusalem's Wailing Wall last month the controversial US politician Sarah Palin said that she it was "overwhelming to be able to see and touch the cornerstone of our faith." Palin is apparently Jewish as she might otherwise have made her comments after visiting the Holy Sepulchre...

Palestinians Demand Access to Jerusalem During Holy Week, Pascha

Palestinian Arabs from the West Bank are demanding greater access to Jerusalem during Holy Week and Pascha. This year Israel's Passover holidays fall over part of Holy Week and Pascha and as Israel has enforced a military closing off of the West Bank during the Passover holidays for the past several years the West Bank's Orthodox Christians and Roman Catholics will be unable to attend the services in the Holy City if the blockade is not lifted. More here.

King of Jordan Visiting Russia

King Abdullah II bin Hussein of Jordan is on a state visit to the Russian Federation to discuss relations between the two countries, the ongoing unrest in the Middle East, and Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. More here.

Israeli Arab Actor Gunned Down in West Bank

The half Jewish, half Arab Catholic Israeli actor Juliano Mer Khamis has been killed in Jenin on the West Bank. More here.

Patriarch Cyril Meets with Palestinian President

Patriarch Kirill (Gundyayev) of Moscow met today with President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian National Authority during the latter's visit to Russia. More here.

Russian Orthodox Buildings in Jerusalem to be Repurchased

Two wealthy Russian businessmen have agreed to help the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society purchase the Hostel of St. Sergius and the old headquarters of the Russian Orthodox Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem from the Israeli government, which currently uses them to house the Ministry of Agriculture and various other agencies.

The properties were expropriated from the original Russian Orthodox Ecclesiastical Mission under the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad and given to the Moscow Patriarchate, which under Soviet pressure allowed them to be sold to Israel in exchange for a shipment of oranges.

An agreement has already been reached in principle with the Israeli government and it is hoped that the properties will be legally returned to the Russian Orthodox Church sometime in 2012. More here.

Pictured is St. Sergius' Hostel, which currently houses the Ministry of Agriculture.

PNA Applies for World Heritage Site Status for Bethlehem Church

The Palestinian National Authority has submitted an application to UNESCO for the designation of the Church of the Holy Nativity in Bethlehem as a world heritage site. The action is controversial in Israel as only independent states can apply for the granting of this status. More here.

Interview with Metropolitan Hilarion on the Holy Land

An interesting interview with Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev) of Volokolamsk on the Holy Lands, monasticism in Palestine, and the Russian Orthodox Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem can be found here.

Russians Affirm Recognition of Palestinian Independence

During his ongoing state visit to the Palestinian National Authority in the West Bank President Dmitriy A. Medvedev of Russia has reaffirmed Russia's acceptance of the 1988 recognition of Palestinian independence by the Soviet Union. The USSR was one of the first nations to recognize an independent Palestine. More here.

Pictured is President Medvedev with President Mahmoud Abbas of Palestine.

Medvedev to Inaugurate Jericho Museum

During an upcoming state visit to Palestine President Dmitriy Medvedev of Russia will inaugurate a new museum in Jericho built on lands recently returned to the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society, to whose care they were entrusted after their purchase by the Russian imperial government. More here.

Palestine to Seek UN Recognition

As Israel continues to stall the peace process and build new settlements on Palestinian Arab land the Palestinian National Authority's foreign minister has stated that his government will seek for United Nations' recognition of an independent Palestinian state. Roughly a 100 countries worldwide already recognize Palestine as a sovereign state. More here.