The Christian World Is Correct To Be Concerned About The Safety OfThe Church Of The Nativity
Ą	Various Middle East nationalities include up to 18 million people, among them the Copts of Egypt, the Africans of South Sudan, the Maronites and other Christians of Lebanon, the Assyro-Chaldeans and Syriacs of Iraq as well as Christian communities in Palestine, Jordan and the Arabian Peninsula. These peoples combined constitute the single largest non-Arab population living under Arab regimes. Yet, it is a fact that when twenty -two Arab states meet (as they did at the Arab summit in Beirut in March of 2002), they exclude representatives of significant segments of the populations.
Ą	Middle East Christian communities are native ethnicities, which preceded the Arab conquest of the region, were among the original owners of the lands outside the Arabian Peninsula, and have been subjected to oppression and Dhimmi status for 13 centuries. Today, when the Arab regimes meet to discuss the regionŐs affairs, they act as if these Christians do not exist.
Ą	On the Arab LeagueŐs agenda, three Arab issues were advanced: The state of Palestine, the question of Iraqi sanctions and the issue of Islamist Terrorism.
Why did the Arab Summit not deal with the following:
Ą	Lebanon: The immediate withdrawal of the Syrian occupation Army from the country and the release of all political prisoners.
Ą	Sudan: The withdrawal of the Sudanese army and militias from Southern Sudan, and the recognition of the right of the Southern Sudanese people for self-determination. The liberation of all slaves.
Ą	Egypt: The recognition of the Copts as a national minority, the cessation of their persecution and the establishment of an internationally based status of representation and protection.
Ą	Syria: Cessation of cultural and political oppression of the Syriacs.
Ą	Iraq: Cessation of cultural and political oppression of the Christians in the country and the recognition of the right of the Assyrian People for self-determination in the North
Ą	Palestine: Cessation of harassment and persecution by Islamist Fundamentalists of the Christian communities, and the restitution of Bethlehem to a Palestinian Christian autonomous authority.
Ą	Saudi Arabia: Condemnation of the religious Apartheid regime in the Kingdom, and call on the Government to recognize and protect religious Freedom for Christians and all other religious groups.