Arab Hatred for Israel Turns to Love

Thursday, July 16, 2015 |  Charles Gardner  ISRAEL TODAY

An Egyptian church leader now based in West London has told how hatred for their ancient enemy Israel turned to love through reading the Bible.

Sameh Metry leads a lively 100-strong Arabic congregation in Ealing while at the same time serving as vicar of an English-speaking church in nearby St Hugh’s, Northolt. And he showed his keyboard skills as he led a high-octane worship session during a conference in Manchester aimed at building bridges between Middle Eastern followers of Jesus.

He was born into a Coptic Orthodox family in Upper Egypt and became a born-again Christian at 15.

But he explained that even Christians in Egypt are encouraged to hate Jews and that in writing essays, for example, the more vitriol you could express against them the higher marks you would get.

“But whenever I read about Israel in the Bible I fell in love with these people; something happened in my heart connecting me with them. I identified with them, even wondering if perhaps I had Jewish ancestry.”

Before he began a theological course in Singapore, the principal warned him that they prayed for Israel at the college, and was shocked to discover it was not a problem for him.

He started a successful Bible school in Egypt, with 350 students enrolled, but the secret service closed it down. He was jailed for a time and prevented from leaving the country, but eventually got out with the help of a friendly customs official and settled in London where he founded a Bible school and started his church.

Asked if he believed Arabs and Jews could be reconciled, he answered in the affirmative, adding: “But only in Jesus.”

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