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Report on US Evangelical conference in Bethlehem


Leila Sansour, filmmaker and founder of Open Bethlehem reports on the conference of American Evangelical Christians, which took place in Bethlehem recently.

This month saw the fourth Christian Evangelical convention in Palestine as more than 400 delegates, mostly from the USA, descended on Bethlehem to take part in what has become an annual gathering titled 'Christ at the Checkpoint'. Thick American accents resounded across the Orient Palace Hotel. The old tried to negotiate their diet of 'Steak' with waiters offering few too many salads with tahini.

The young paced the streets of Bethlehem smoking shishas with their Palestinian counterparts discussing Middle East politics, the Bible and, of course, Donald Trump. In the evening, everyone sang hallelujah and recited the Lord's Prayer in Arabic and English alongside a few other tongues.

The atmosphere is charged and there is a lot of talk about attitude shifts among US evangelicals in their views on Israel/Palestine. I listen to the speakers and cast around for further opinions in an attempt to gain some clarity. Is this a self-selecting crowd? Or am I looking at a new movement that can serve as a genuine catalyst for change and, if so, where is this going to take us and how fast?

- See more at: www.middleeasteye.net/columns/can-palestinian-evangelicals-influence-us-vote-440088971#sthash.qHOfkUns.nZBXDUOD.dpuf

- Read more about Open Bethlehem here: www.openbethlehem.org/the-film.html

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