The Middle East is in the centre of attention of the Swiss but good background information is lacking. This made Rev. Hedda Klip, who has lived for several years in Cairo, start a series of lectures for which she uses Arab-West Report as background information. She calls the information of Arab-West Report “very thorough.”

Amt für weltweite Kirche BL/BS

From: Rev. Hedda Klip, Minister for Worldwide Church Contacts, for the Swiss Reformed Churches of Kanton Baselland and Baselstadt

To: whom it may concern

Concerning: Arab West Report

Basel, July 2003,

The Middle East is very much in the centre of attention for the people in Switzerland, especially since the recent developments in Iraq. Also the on-going conflict between Palestine and Israel is a matter of great concern for the Swiss Christians. However, good background information is lacking.

To fill in this gap, I have started a series of sermons and lectures on the relationship between the Arab World and the West, the background of the Intifadah and the position, both in history and in recent times, of Christians in the Arab World.

I’m very grateful for the excellent news service the Arab-West Report is providing. I especially appreciated for my lectures their report on the discussion in the Arab Press on the war in Iraq, the reaction and the very thorough article on the interpretation of Arab-West relationships in Primary School history books, in various countries in the West and the Arab World.

The reaction of the Coptic Orthodox Church on the war in Iraq, their sober Easter, made a deep impression on the Swiss Christians, whom I addressed.

Another question Christians in Switzerland ask regarding the Middle East, is how Christians in the Arab world are treated. The report on the debate between the Coptic Church in the United States and the Coptic Church in Egypt regarding the treatment of Christians is impressive in its level of understanding.

On this and other issues the Arab-West Report gives very thorough information, updated every week, and currently, every day.

I would like to recommend this excellent News Service heartily.

Yours Sincerely,
Rev. Hedda Klip