Members of Jerusalem Voice for Justice issued a SOS from the Holy Land, decrying Israel’s renewed siege and military escalation in Gaza. The statement condemns the weaponization of aid, warns of ethnic cleansing, and calls on the global community to act with urgency. Drawing on the Pentecost story, they urge people of conscience not to give up, but to renew their efforts to fight for justice and life in Gaza and all of Palestine. The statement can be found here or on Sabeel Wave of Prayers website. 

Spirit of the Living God, on the day of Pentecost, you filled ordinary people with bold tongues and burning hearts. As the members of Jerusalem Voice for Justice cry out from the land of your birth, may their SOS ignite a fire in the hearts of all who hear. Help us speak out, act with love, and keep showing up for justice in Gaza and all of Palestine. May your Spirit lead us in hope and strength.

Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer

Last week, in honor of World Environment Day, Sabeel’s Kumi Now session featured the Arab Group for the Protection of Nature (APN), who spoke about the importance of supporting green resistance and food sovereignty in the context of settler colonialism. With over 80% of Gaza’s agricultural land now destroyed, APN has been working to rehabilitate Gaza’s agricultural sector and restore local food systems to combat famine, counter the blockade, and build food sovereignty. The link to donate to their “revive Gaza’s farmland” campaign can be found here. 

Creator of life, we thank you for those who work the land with vision and courage. As Gaza suffers war and genocide, we pray for the renewal of what has been devastated. Bless the hands restoring local food systems, and sustain the efforts of those reclaiming the right to grow and eat freely. May the work of the Arab Group for the Protection of Nature and all who strive for food justice break through the grip of blockade and bring nourishment where there is hunger.

Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer

Sabeel is welcoming multiple delegations this month, with the first delegation made of theological educators who arrived the beginning of June and are returning to their home countries this week. The delegations continue to attempt to bring hope at a time of hopelessness. 

God of accompaniment, we give thanks for the delegation participants who walked with our community this week. Bless their return home with courage to speak truth, wisdom to teach with compassion, and boldness to stand in solidarity. May each delegation that comes and goes sow deeper roots of justice, and may their witness help bring liberation closer for all.

Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer

According to the United Nations, as of June 2025, Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank have injured over 220 Palestinians. Often collaborating or receiving protection from the Israeli military, settlers have contributed directly to the continued and current forced displacement of Palestinians in the West Bank.  

God of justice, we lift up those injured and displaced by settler violence in the West Bank. Amid ongoing attacks and oppression, may your healing presence surround the wounded and your justice dismantle systems that allow such cruelty to persist. Strengthen the resilience of those who resist displacement and stand with the oppressed. May peace and dignity prevail in the land you love.

Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer

Palestinians in Gaza spent Eid under siege, enduring starvation and relentless war. The limited aid that is allowed in is tightly controlled at U.S.-Israeli aid distribution points. Over the past 12 days, eyewitnesses and human rights organizations report that Israeli forces have killed 110 Palestinians and injured 583 others—people who were simply waiting in line for food.

Holy God, We remember that you were born under occupation, that you broke bread with the poor, and that your table made no room for injustice but welcomed the outcast and the sinner. We lift up all who are suffering from this war, especially the children of Gaza. Wrap them in your protection. Stir the hearts of the world to rise in their defense. Let not one more life be taken in silence. May your justice break through the rubble, and may we, your people, refuse to rest until every wall of violence falls.

Lord, in your mercy… Hear our prayer.

Last week, more than 1,200 Israeli academics issued an open letter urging the heads of Israel’s academic institutions to publicly oppose the ongoing war on Gaza. In a notable shift from other domestic petitions, this letter centers the suffering of Palestinians and calls for immediate action to end the violence. “We cannot claim that we did not know,” the signatories wrote. “We have been silent for too long. For the sake of innocent lives and the safety of all people in this land… if we do not call to halt the war immediately, history will not forgive us.” 

God of truth, we give thanks for the voices rising from within. May their words echo far beyond institutions and borders. Strengthen all who dare to speak against the machinery of war, especially in Israel, and remind us that it is never too late to choose justice, never too late to repent. May their confession lead to the transformation of a Holy Land in dire need of healing. 

Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer 

Amidst countless massacres our people face, we hold onto hope that the people of conscience around the world are pushing their leaders to concrete actions. The World Health Organization voted to raise the Palestinian flag on their headquarters for the very first time. In the United Kingdom, 800 legal experts call on the government to impose sanctions on Israel. Students continue to pressure their universities to cut research and material ties to Israeli occupation. 

Dear God, we give gratitude for the flickers of light breaking through the darkness, knowing your presence is with us in our actions and protests. Strengthen the people of conscience around the world. Let their pressure continue to bear fruit. May our hope not be passive but defiant, rooted in action, and faithful to the vision of a world made whole. 

Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer  

Kairos-Sabeel Netherlands is organizing a summer conference on Palestinian Liberation Theology from 25-27 July, 2025 in the Netherlands in cooperation with the Bethlehem Bible College. The conference is an opportunity to meet others who are in solidarity with Palestinians in a Christian and European context. The deadline for tickets is June 14 and the link can be found here (if not clickable, visit the Sabeel Wave of Prayers website for the link). 

Dear God, you are  always present with the Oppressed, we give thanks for the work of Kairos-Sabeel Netherlands and Bethlehem Bible College. We ask that you instill in all participants wisdom and humility as they find new ways to heed your call “to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly” with you. (Micah 6:8) Make us agents of your peace, and may the fruits of this conference assist us in centering a just and inclusive liberation. 

Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer 

Last week, hundreds of far-right Israelis stormed Al-Aqsa and UNRWA compounds amid the Jerusalem Day march. For settlers and far-right Israelis, Jerusalem Day commemorates the Israeli occupation and annexation of East Jerusalem after the 1967 war.  

Beloved Christ, in your day, you did not hesitate to call out those who neglected justice and the love of God. (Luke 11:42) We raise our voices with you against the injustice happening in our current time, against those who march for hate rather than for justice and inclusivity. We ask you to instill in our hearts the resolve to work for the day that Jerusalem becomes a city that welcomes all. 

Lord in your mercy… hear our prayer 

Israel recently approved the construction of 22 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, including at previously dismantled sites. This includes the formalization of nine already constructed outposts, including the Homesh outpost, built on the site of another settlement evacuated in 2005. 

Holy God, we lament the relentless theft of land and breach of international law. As new settlements rise on stolen soil, we ask you to be present with those who face dispossession and to illuminate to the world the machinery of occupation at work. Tear down the walls of injustice and plant in us the courage to resist every act of erasure. May we stand with the uprooted and labor for a future where all may dwell in safety and freedom. 

Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer