JERUSALEM - Sources at the Christian Embassy in Jerusalem fear that a refusal by Barak to speak at their annual gathering "will be interpreted as a negative message to the millions of Christians throughout the world that they shouldn't come to Israel in the year 2000."

Members of the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem have expressed great disappointment over Prime Minister Ehud Barak's failure to answer the organization's invitation to give the opening speech at their annual gathering at Binyanei Hauma in Jerusalem on Saturday night. "This will be the first time in 20 years that the prime minister isn't appearing before us" event organizers said to Itim.

The embassy's media consultant, Dave Parsons, told Itim that during contacts held with Barak's office to persuade the prime minister to appear before the gathering, a video was shown of late Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin's appearance in October, 1995 - only three weeks before his murder. "We're still hoping to receive a positive answer," Parsons said.

Members of the International Christian Embassy generally tend toward the right of the political spectrum, although they hold all of the country's leaders in great esteem, regardless of their political alignment.

Some 5,000 Christian supporters of Israel from 100 countries, including 15 Muslim countries, have arrived here for this year's gathering.

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