Yes, they are at our Church each Christmas selling items made of olive wood.
They are the ones who told me that Christians there are basically under siege by the Muslims.
Yes, I know. They make the circuits of much of the USA where there are many Catholics. They have been coming to the USA for generations. We don't get too many of them over here on the west coast of the USA.
I THINK, as this is only an opinion, that there are waves of problems that appear, cause a stir, then melt away. The near and middle east REALLY, really need Christians because Christians are almost INFINITELY more and better educated and skilled (as in labor) than Muslims.
On our tour our guide took us to a Jewish Israeli "employment agency." There were THREE windows to go to:
1. B.S. = Bachelor of Science
2. M.S. = Master of Science
3. PhD = Doctor of Philosophy
Some Jewish Israelis were so desperate for work that they would do highway maintenance. They were grossly over-educated for the work that had to be done. No one needed a "professor" to shovel road tar/gravel, wash toilets, cook meals or repair cars.
We also ran into a Muslim man who STILL had the key to his grandmother's home in Gaza. He was barred from going there at the Israeli checkpoints.
We were there in 2011 and the ENTIRE region is an ARMED police state, armed by tons of Uzi-toting soldiers. I don't blame the Israelis for defending the land that God gave to THEM only (I surmise.) but living in an ARMED police state is a HECK of a way to live.
I don't blame the Israeli Jews for having a home THERE and a home HERE. It's wonderful to go to the "land God gave to them" but it's not so nice to HAVE to live in that ARMED CAMP for one's entire life.
Nice to have choices.
There are 1.6 billion Muslims (Google), mostly Asians, and NOT Arabs. Islam won't be going away too soon.
Besides, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia still has another (estimated) 200 year supply of petroleum. Saudi ARAMCO (Arabian-American Oil Company) isn't going to be going away too soon, at least, not in MY lifetime.