Sabeel Wave of Prayer

17^th January 2019

 

The ‘Great March of Return’ protest in Gaza continued for its 42nd Friday. A Palestinian woman, Amal Mustafa Taramsi and 14-year-old Abed Alraouf Salhah died and at least 25 other people were wounded by Israeli live fire. Egyptian representatives held talks on the day before with Palestinian delegates to prevent any further escalation of violence along the border with Israel.

 

• Lord, we pray for the family of Amal and Abed who were killed in the protest as they mourn their loss. We pray too for a breakthrough in the peace talks that there will be an end to the blockade of Gaza and to the desperate sufferings of the people under siege. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

 

This week the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, (PSC), successfully challenged a UK court ruling. The ruling would have restricted local authority pension funds’ ability to divest from companies on ethical grounds. If the PSC is successful in its appeal to the Supreme Court, the UK Government will not be able to interfere on ethical disinvestment decisions.

 

• Lord our God help us to seek you diligently and to walk in your way of righteousness and your paths of justice (Proverbs 8:17-20). We are thankful for those who listen to the Palestinian cry for justice and who seek to find ways to peacefully protest Israel’s human rights violations in Palestine. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

 

A general strike has been called for Palestinians on Tuesday, the 15th of January. On this date the Palestinian Authority requires business owners and employees in the private sector to sign up to the Palestinian Social Security Institution. This institution has been set up to provide pensions and insurance benefits. However, many protestors are mistrustful of the Palestinian Authority and its intensions.

 

• Dear Lord, we pray that the general strike will be peaceable and that the grievances of the protestors will be addressed by the authorities concerned. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

 

Thousands of Palestinian and Syrian refugees in the Middle East are suffering from severe wintry weather conditions. Storm Norma which started on Saturday, the 12th of January, hit Lebanon and Syria this week with heavy rains, snowfall and freezing temperatures. Many refugees had to be rescued from flooded camps.

 

• Lord, you knew what it was like to live as a refugee when you were born into this world. Help us to remember the refugee families who have to try and survive extreme cold in temporary shelters. We give thanks to all charities and NGOs who respond to their suffering with emergency shelter, fuel and food supplies. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

 

In the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood of occupied East Jerusalem, five Palestinian families have received an order by the Israeli authorities to evacuate a building. According to the Civic Coalition for Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem (CCPRJ), the building would be turned over to Israeli settlers who had claimed ownership of the building.

 

• Lord, we pray for an end to the Israeli military occupation that continues to dispossess our people from their properties. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers 

 

This week’s Kumi Action focuses on the work of the Machsom Watch. Since 2001 Israeli women from the Machsom Watch have been observing and reporting on the Israeli military occupation of Palestine. They are opposed to the occupation and believe it is undermining respect for human rights and democracy in Israel. The Kumi Action asks you to stop and think as you cross a road or leave a building what it must be like for Palestinians who have to pass through so many obstacles just to reach work or school or treatment at a hospital.

 

• Lord, we thank you for those who care about human rights and for those, like the women of Machsom Watch, who are prepared to monitor and report on the injustices they see in their society. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

 

• We join with the World Council of Churches in their prayers for the countries of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

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Sabeel Wave of Prayer
10^th of January 2019

Friday, the 4th of January the ‘Great March of Return’ continued in Gaza leaving over 20 Palestinians injured by Israeli fire.

• Lord, we continue to pray for an end to the Israeli military occupation, the implementation of the right of return of Palestinian refugees and for true peace to become a reality in our troubled land. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayers

 The world welcomes a new year this week.

• Lord, help us to trust in you as we step out into this year, knowing that you are our true light and hope. If we become fearful or downhearted, let us turn to your word to quieten our hearts and to give light to our path ahead. Lord, in your mercy…Hear our prayers

 As Christmas celebrations for many are ending, we think of worshippers in some Orthodox and Coptic churches who celebrate Christmas on the 7th of January. We also enter the season of Epiphany when we remember the wise men who came to worship Jesus and brought him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

• Help us, Lord Jesus, to keep our eyes fixed on you each day, not only during seasonal celebrations. Let us worship you with open hearts, so that you may ‘dwell in our hearts through faith, that we may know the love of Christ and be filled with all the fullness of God’ (Eph 3:17) Lord, in your mercy….Hear our prayers

Israel’s Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan has announced plans to worsen conditions for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, including rationing water supplies and reducing the number of family visits. The number of Palestinians in Israeli prisons has now reached 5,500, including 230 children and 54 women.

• We praise you, Lord, that you are a God of mercy and compassion. We bring the plight of the Palestinian prisoners before you and pray that plans to aggravate their sufferings will be defeated. Lord, in your mercy…Hear our prayers

The Palestinian Football Team is taking part in the 2019 Asia Cup in the United Arab Emirates from the 5th of January until the 1st of February. This event takes place once every four years and is organized by the Asian Football Confederation.

• Lord, we are thankful that Palestinian footballers have the opportunity to travel and compete against other teams in an international competition. We thank you for their physical skills and desire to compete with other sportsmen. Lord, in your mercy…Hear our prayers

Several Jewish Settler teenagers have been arrested in connection with the fatal stoning of a Palestinian woman in the West Bank. Aisha Rabi, was the mother of nine children.

• Lord, we pray for the family of Aisha who was murdered in cold blood. We have only faith in your spirit to comfort her husband and children as they grieve for their mother and wife. Lord in your mercy…Hear our prayers

This week’s Kumi Action focuses on the work of the Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, an independent human rights organisation in Gaza. Al Mezan believes Israel should lift the restrictions of movement of people from Gaza, especially those with critical health problems. In 2017 the Israeli authorities only approved permits for medical appointments for 54% of those who applied, the lowest rate since 2008.

• Lord, we pray for the work of Al Mezan as they seek to help those who are suffering and in need. We pray for an end to the blockade of Gaza and the dreadful toll it is taking on the health and well-being of the people who live there. Lord, in your mercy…Hear our prayers

• We join with the World Council of Churches in their prayers for the countries of Iran, Iraq and Syria. Lord, in your mercy..

 

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3^rd January 2019

 The Great March of Return continued on Friday the 30th of December. According to UN figures more than 25,000 Palestinians have been injured in protests along the border between Gaza and Israel and more than 190 Palestinians have been killed since the protest began on the 30th of March. The majority of those who have been killed were young men, aged 29 or younger. The latest victim, Karam Fayyad, was killed east of the Gaza city of Khan Younis and eight others were wounded.

• Lord we pray for the family of Karam as they grieve their loss. We pray for a breakthrough in the peace talks and an end to the crippling siege of Gaza. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

Israeli forces detained two Palestinian students from Beituniya village in the occupied West Bank district of Ramallah. The mayor of the village, Ribhi Dawleh has stated that Israeli forces are deliberately targeting students in the village with frequent raids and detentions.

• Lord, we pray for the young students in the occupied West Bank who suffer checks and delays as they travel to their schools and colleges. We pray that they remain determined to complete their studies. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

The war continues in Syria.

• Lord, we pray for the people of Syria and the Golan Heights who have lived with destructive warfare and unrest over the past few years. We pray for peace in this country and the resettlement of those who have had to flee their homes. Lord, in your mercy….hear our prayers.

 There has been plentiful rainfall in Palestine and Israel this year which will soften and refresh the land ready for the farmers to plant their crops. We remember the poor who suffer in the cold and wet conditions of winter.

• Teach us, Lord, to be thankful at all times, to encourage one another and to seek to do good to one another, knowing that this is your will for us. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

The United Nations’ World Food Program, (WFP), has warned that a severe funding shortfall in Palestine is expected to affect 193,000 of the poorest people in Gaza and the West Bank in January. Assistance from the WFP goes to the most impoverished and ‘food insecure’ communities.

• Lord, we pray for those who struggle to feed their families in Gaza and the Occupied Territories. We pray for the support of those in need. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

 After a ruling taken by the Palestinian Constitutional Court, President Mahmoud Abbas has announced the dissolution of the Palestinian Legislative Council. Legislative elections should now take place within six months.

• Lord, we pray that the Palestinian people will hold free and fair elections to the  Legislative Council. Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers.

 This week the Kumi Now non-violent initiative is focusing on the work of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land, (ELCJHL). The Kumi Now action requests that Christians around the world heed the cry of Palestinian Christians for justice. It asks them to offer, to speak or pray about Palestine and Israel in their local churches.

•   Lord, we pray for the work and witness of ELCJHL in this land of the Holy One. Bless the Kumi Now initiative and all those who use it as a pathway to a just peace in this land. Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers.

• We join with the World Council of Churches in their prayers for the countries of Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine

 

 27^th December 2018

 ‘The Great March of Return’ continues into its 39^th week. Four Palestinians were shot and killed, including Muhammad Muin al-Jahjouh,16, by Israeli forces at the eastern borders of Gaza, while over 40 Palestinians were injured.

 

• Lord, we pray for the families as they grieve over their loss. We continue to pray for the safety of the protestors and for them to continue to espouse non-violent means to achieve their rightful demands. Lord, in your mercy…Hear our prayers

 

The photograph of Palestinian demonstrators taken along the Gaza borders on April 6th, 2018 by the Reuter’s photographer Mohammed Salem is one of the many memorable images included in ‘The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict through the Lens in 2018’.

 

• Lord, we pray that the inspiration, passion and energy of Palestinian journalists continue to raise awareness of the plight of Palestinians. Lord in your mercy… Hear our prayers

 

Hundreds of Israeli settlers, accompanied by Israeli soldiers, raided the Greek Orthodox Monastery of Mar Saba, east of Bethlehem, in the occupied West Bank. The raid was timed to disrupt the devotions of the Palestinian Christians who had come to celebrate the feast of St. Saba.

• Lord, we pray for an end to the Israeli occupation that allows the mistreatment of Palestinian civilians and the harassment of peaceful worshippers. Lord, in your mercy…. Hear our prayers

 

Hudhaifa al-Hariri from Umm al-Fahm in northern Israel died in hospital after being shot at an incident at a petrol station near the Megiddo junction. Four other separate shooting incidents took place in northern Israel this week. Crime among the Israeli Arab citizens is on the rise, while the Israeli government ministries neglect the basic needs of the Arab sector.

 

• Lord, we pray for the family of Hudhaifa as they mourn the loss of their young son. We pray for an end to the rising tide of violence among Israeli Arabs which threatens to weaken communal ties. May your spirit, God, guide us to continue to seek equitable treatment for Arab communities from the Israeli government. Lord in your mercy… Hear our prayers

 

The Edward Said National Conservatory of Music presented the Palestinian all-girl choir

‘Banat Al-Quds’, (Daughters of Jerusalem), in a concert to launch their new CD on Tuesday, the 18th of December, at a cultural centre in Jerusalem. The choir sings together with a Norwegian choir and the Princeton Girls’ Choir from the USA on the CD.

 

• Lord, we praise you that we can express the deepest feelings of our hearts through the gift of song. Let us remember the words of the prophet Habakkuk as he sang out to you in troubled times, ‘God, the Lord, is my strength, he makes my feet like the deer’s, he makes me tread on my high places.’(Hab.3:19) Lord, in your mercy… Hear our prayers

 

At the United Nations in New York, the countries of the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Belgium, the Netherlands and Poland reiterated the EU policy on Israel/ Palestine. It confirmed its support for a two state solution, with Jerusalem as the future capital of both states.

• Lord, we pray for an end to the Israeli military occupation of Palestinian territories and for a just and lasting peace. Lord, in your mercy…. Hear our prayers

 

This week the Kumi Now non-violent initiative is asking its participants to give feedback on the Kumi actions. This will be the first of three specific times throughout the year when feedback will be especially welcome at: feedback@kuminow.com.

 

• We join with the World Council of Churches in their prayers for the countries of     Japan, North Korea, South Korea and Taiwan. Lord, in your mercy…..

20^th December 2018

 Our prayers will be expressed through the Gospel words about the birth of Jesus, our Saviour.

• The angel Gabriel came to Mary and said, ‘And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.’(Luke 1:31)

 The historic renovation of the Church of the Nativity is lifting spirits in the town of Bethlehem, the birthplace of our Lord Jesus. In 2012 the church was declared a World Heritage Site. In 2013, renovation work with Italian experts began on the fabric of the building and the wall and floor mosaics. It is expected to be completed by the end of next year.

• Mary said,” Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38) Lord, as we remember the birth of our Savior in Bethlehem we think of the many Palestinian children born in the refugee camps in the occupied territories. We pray for hope and a future for them through a just and equitable peace with Israel. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

 During the Great March of Return protests at least 60 Palestinians were injured by live fire from the Israeli military on the eastern borders of the Gaza Strip on Friday, the 14th of December.

• And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” (Luke 1:41-42)Lord, we pray for the mothers of Gaza, who see their children injured and crushed by the oppressive conditions of the occupation. We pray that the lands and livelihoods may be restored to the Gazans. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

 There has been a spate of deadly incidents across the occupied West Bank this week which has left a number of Palestinians and Israeli soldiers dead. Within a twenty-four-hour period from Thursday until pre-dawn on Friday, the 14th of December, Israeli forces detained over 100 Palestinians.

• And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.” (Luke1:46-48)Lord, we are humbled by Mary’s obedience and joy in her worship. Help us to keep our hearts free from anger and bitterness and to be merciful to others. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

 In Silwan neighborhood, occupied East Jerusalem, the Palestinian Hashimeh family are now homeless. On Saturday, the 8th of December they were obliged to demolish the building, home to fourteen family members. If they had not demolished the property themselves, they would have been required to pay the municipality for demolition costs.

• Zechariah prophesied, saying, “..the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” (Luke1:78-79) Lord Jesus, you are our Saviour and Redeemer. Your light brings us hope where there is no hope. Help us, Lord, to continue to work for peace and justice where we see inequity. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

During a period of several weeks from November 4th to the 27th Christian Peacemaker Teams documented the escalation in violence conducted by the Israeli military against Palestinian schools and pupils in a portion of the H2 area in al-Khalil/ Hebron. This has included the firing of tear gas and sound grenades directly targeting Palestinian children, school compounds and civilians.

• All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, (which means, God with us). (Matthew1:22-23/Isaiah7:14)Lord Jesus, we are thankful for the Christian Peacemaker Teams and their work to monitor abuse, particularly the abuse of young children. We pray that they will be strengthened by your presence. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

 On Saturday, the 15th of December, Scott Morrison, the Prime Minister of Australia, announced that his country would formally recognize West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. However, he stated that he would not move the Australian Embassy to Jerusalem until there was a peace settlement between Israel and Palestine.

• “And she brought forth her firstborn Son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.”(Luke 2:7)Lord Jesus, there was only a stable for you when you were born and, as a child you knew what it was like to live as a refugee. Lord, we pray for the people of Palestine that they will be released from the occupation to live peaceful lives. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers  

This week the Kumi Now non-violent initiative looks at the treatment of children in the Israeli military court system. Military Court Watch is a non-profit organization which monitors the abuse and denial of rights to children caught up in this system, focusing particularly on the first 24 hours of arrest when most allegations of abuses take place. (www.kuminow.com)

• “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John1:14) Lord, we pray for all those who work for justice and to protect the young and defenseless. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

•  We join with the World Council of Churches in their prayers for the countries of China, Hong Kong and Macau. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

13th of December, 2018

 

Thousands of people attended the annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony in Bethlehem’s Manger Square on Saturday, the 1st of December.

 

• Lord Jesus, the light of the Christmas trees reflect our joy at this season as we remember how you came to earth to bring light into our lives, ‘the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light’, (Is 9:2). Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.

 

At least 25 Palestinians were injured by live fire during the weekly protests  of the ‘Great March of Return’ along the border between Gaza and Israel on Friday, the 7th of December.

 

• Lord, we pray for those who have been injured in Gaza this week, together with thousands of other Gazans who have sustained wounds at the protests. We pray that there may soon be a breakthrough in the peace talks and that the blockade of Gaza may be lifted. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer

 

The Israeli authorities demolished a Palestinian primary school in Simiya village in the southern occupied West Bank district of Hebron on Wednesday, the 5th of December. The Israeli Civil Administration claimed it had been built without a permit. Almost all Palestinian applications for permits in areas under their control are rejected.

 

• Lord, you are an ever-present help in times of trouble. We pray that those who try to provide homes and schools for families in Palestine may not lose hope but will continue to seek to meet their needs. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer

 

This week marks human rights week, with the UN Day of Human Rights on the 10^th December.

• Lord, all people have the right to live in peace, dignity and with justice. Grant all those involved in the occupation humble hearts to see the wrongs of their ways and clear heads to move towards peace and justice. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

 

On Wednesday, the 5th of December, the Irish Senate approved the first reading of the ‘Occupied Territories Bill’. This bill would criminalise the import of goods from Israeli settlements. It will still need to be endorsed by the Lower House of Parliament.

 

• Lord, we are encouraged when those in authority abide by international law and recognise the illegality of the Israeli settlements in Palestine. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

 

The U.N. General Assembly voted in favour of five resolutions regarding Palestine on Friday, the 30th of November. UNGA also adopted a sixth resolution on the occupied Syrian Golan, demanding the withdrawal of Israel from all the territory and affirming Syria’s sovereignty over the land.

 

• We thank you, Lord, for all those international bodies who work to maintain peace and to protect the sovereignty of nations. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.

 

The Kumi Now initiative focuses this week on the work of Al-Marsad in the Syrian Golan.

Al-Marsad was founded in 2003 to protect the human rights of those Syrians still living in the Golan. They live under the threat of Israeli military activity as well as the promotion of tourism from illegal settlements in the area. The action this week asks you to write to travel companies such as booking.com and Lonely Planet asking, ‘Does your business profit by providing accommodation in illegal Israeli settlements or by misrepresenting the Syrian Golan as ‘Northern Israel’?’

 

• Lord, we pray for the Syrians who have suffered so much in recent years. We pray that the Syrians in the Golan and in other regions may be granted peace and justice. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

 

• We join with the World Council of Churches in their prayers for the countries of Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.

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Sabeel Wave of Prayer
6^th of December 2018

 

At least eighteen Palestinians were injured by Israeli forces on the 36th Friday of ‘The Great March of Return’. Israeli occupation soldiers used live ammunition and tear gas against the protestors on the Gaza border.

 

• Lord, we pray for all those protestors who have suffered injuries at this week’s protest in Gaza. We continue to pray that protestors may hold fast to their commitment to non-violence to achieve their demands. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers

 

The Palestinian Governor of Jerusalem, Adnan Ghaith, was detained after Israeli forces raided his home in Silwan. His detention, along with the detention of a number of other Palestinians appears to be a campaign targeted at members of the Palestinian leadership.

 

• Lord, we pray for all political prisoners. We pray that this campaign to undermine those in authority in Palestine may cease. Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers

 

November the 29th marked the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. On this day in 1947, the U.N. adopted the Partition Plan for Palestine. This day has has turned into a day of solidarity with the Palestinian people and has been commemorated in the U.N. since 1978, yet the Israeli occupation continues and the international community remains silent.

 

• Lord, you are our God of righteousness and you tell us to speak out ‘for the rights of all who are destitute’ (Prov 31:8). We pray that the international community may speak out against the crimes of the occupation and take steps to defend the rights of the dispossessed in Palestine. Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers

 

Two young women fell victim to brutal murders last week. On the 26th of November, the body of Yara Ayoub, a sixteen-year-old girl, was found in her hometown of Jish, Galilee. On the same day, in Tel Aviv, the body of Sylvana Tsegai, the thirteen-year-old daughter of an Eritrean asylum seeker was discovered at her home. Suspects for both crimes have been arrested on the charges of rape and murder.

 

• Lord we are deeply shocked by these brutal murders and pray that the perpetrators of these violent acts may be brought to justice. We grieve for the families of Yara and Sylvana as they mourn their loss. Lord Jesus, you teach us to turn away from violence, to confess our sinful desires and to walk by the Spirit, treating others with kindness and respect. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers

 

The 9th Kairos Palestine Anniversary Conference will take place on December 6th-7th at the Dar Annadwah International Centre in Bethlehem. The title of the conference is, ‘Hope where there is no Hope’.

 

• Lord, we pray for the Kairos Conference in Bethlehem that it may be a reflective and motivating time for its local and international participants. Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers

 

The Kumi Now non-violent initiative continues this week with the work of Christian Peacemaker Teams and the topic of  Israeli military checkpoints used to enforce the occupation. Palestinians in the West Bank city of Hebron suffer from the presence of Israeli settlers and the military in the centre of the Old City. Christian Peacemaker Teams have been monitoring human rights abuses in this area since 1995.

The Kumi action asks you to send a letter to your local police chief or commissioner asking, ‘Do you purchase equipment from Combined Systems or any other company which profits from the Israeli occupation?’  www.kuminow.com

 

• Lord, we pray for Palestinians who are subjected to delays, body searches and even detainment as they have to pass through military checkpoints on their way to school or work in their hometowns. We pray for the work of the Christian Peacemaker Teams as they report human rights abuses resulting from the occupation to the international authorities. Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers

 

 

Sabeel wants to hold several local programs during the Advent season: a) Christmas activities for Children in Nazareth, b) Community Bible Studies, and c) to Ecumenical Dinner in Jerusalem bringing together the Christian Community to celebrate Christmas.

 

• Lord, we thank you for the beginning of Advent this weekend – for valuing humanity to become one of us, for taking on flesh and teaching us how to love. God, we ask for your guidance so that we will not only reflect on this time with hope, joy, peace, and love, but also act upon it. Lord in your mercy … hear our prayers

 

 

• We join with the World Council of Churches in their prayers for the countries of Myanmar and Thailand. Lord, in your mercy….. hear our prayers

 

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Sabeel Wave of Prayer
29 November 2019

 

Fourteen Palestinians were injured by Israeli live ammunition during the 35th Friday of ‘The Great March of Return’ protests along the eastern borders of the Gaza Strip.

 

• Lord, we pray for all those who have been injured in Gaza. We pray that the international authorities would pay attention to their cries of anguish and would resolve to act to restore justice to the people of Gaza. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers

 

On Wednesday, the 21st of November, Israeli bulldozers demolished twenty Palestinian owned shops in Shufat refugee camp in occupied East Jerusalem. The reason given for the demolition was that the shops had been built without Israeli permits, which are rarely, if ever, granted.

 

• Lord Jesus, you are the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls. Help us, Lord, to know how to respond when we witness the Israeli authorities pushing Palestinians right out of occupied East Jerusalem. We pray for all those whose livelihoods have been devastated. Lord in your mercy… hear our prayers

 

Israeli settlers vandalized a children’s playground and a cafeteria which were under construction in the village of Burqa along the Nablus-Jenin road. Settlers use these attacks to discourage Palestinians from completing building projects. They are rarely held to account for their actions.

 

• Lord, you love justice and you are a stronghold for those who seek righteousness. We pray that these attacks on Palestinian property would cease and that the perpetrators of violence would face due punishment. We pray that the Palestinians would endure and remain steadfast, even under constant provocation. Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers

 

All members of the US Congress and the Senate, as well as members of the White House, received an ecumenical statement form Global Ministries on November 14th. The statement has sixteen signatories form different churches. It voices dismay over the US support for Israel over the concerns of the Palestinians, since President Trump took office in 2017. The statement outlines in detail how US policies are designed to ‘punish’ Palestinians and to ‘take away their human rights, dignity and hope’.

 

• Lord we pray that those in authority in the US may be challenged by the statement from Global Ministries and  may reflect on the harm their policies are inflicting on the Palestinians. Lord in your mercy… hear our prayers

 

Airbnb decided to remove 196 listings in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. These settlements are recognized by the Israeli government, but remain illegal under international law. Three days later an Israeli settler, Maanit Rabinovich, from the illegal Kidar settlement has filed a request to the Jerusalem District Court for a lawsuit against Airbnb.

 

• Lord we pray that international lawmakers may focus on the proliferation of illegal settlements in the occupied territories and all hardship and suffering inflicted on  nearby Palestinian villages and towns. Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers

 

Leila Malki from Palestine, was presented with a prestigious award by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports at a ceremony in Bahrain. She received the ‘Against all Odds’ award for overcoming prejudice and persevering in entering equestrian events all over the world.

 

• Thank you, Lord, for the gifts you give our young athletes and for their courage in using their gifts well. We praise you and recognize that every good and perfect gift comes from you. We pray that we might encourage others to find their particular gifts and to use them for your glory and  to help others. Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers

 

On Saturday Nov.24, the Friends of Sabeel in France iheld a one day conference at the Protestant Theological Faculty of Paris on following theme : “Israel in the Bible and today’s State of Israel – Christians from here and over there have questions…”.  The Theological Institution was one of the co-organizers of the Conference, and Father Jamal Khader from Ramallah was the guest speaker from Palestine. Over 100 people assisted to the conference.

 

• Lord, we are grateful for the success of this event and hope that it will shed more light on the life and challenges of Palestinians. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayers

 

The Kumi Now nonviolent initiative continues this week with the Women’s Centre for Legal Aid and Counselling (WCLAC) and their topic of ‘Violence against Women’. This week’s action asked you to draw a picture or take a photo of flowers and send it to the UN Women’s Office in New York, asking them to hold Israel accountable for the fear tactics of night raids and arrests (at least 1360 recorded each year) carried out by the Israeli army on Palestinian families.

www.kuminow.com

 

• Lord, you encourage us in your word to show love and sympathy to our brothers and sisters. We pray for the mothers in Palestine who go to bed at night dreading a night raid and sick at the thought that they or their children might be arrested. We thank you for support groups like WCLAC who seek to help victims of violence. Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers

 

 

We join with the World Council of Churches in their prayers for the countries of Brunei, Malaysia and Singapore. Lord, in your mercy…. hear our prayers

 

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Sabeel Wave of Prayer
November 22^nd, 2018

 

 

The “Great March of Return” continues in Gaza. Forty people were wounded in protests along the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip, including 18 by live fire and five by rubber bullets.

 

• Lord, we continue to pray for the Palestinian refugees and their just demands to return to their lands and homes. May the creativity of the protesters in creating nonviolent methods of resistance continue. Lord in your mercy… hear our prayers

 

 

Wednesday, the 14th of November a Palestinian fisherman, Nawwaf al Attar, was shot and killed by the Israeli occupation forces off the coast of northern Gaza. The  Palestinian fishermen were working, as recently directed, at three nautical miles from the coast when the Israeli naval forces opened fire, forcing them to head back to working at one nautical mile, where the fish stocks are exhausted.

 

• Lord, we pray for the people of Gaza trying to earn a livelihood and feed their families. We pray for the family of Nawwaf al Attar as they grieve their loss. Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers

 

Twenty women from Jerusalem traveled as a group from Sabeel to enjoy fellowship with one another and to learn about the city of Haifa, it’s history and the challenges it faces.

 

• Lord, we thank you for the opportunities you give us to travel and to meet up with our brothers and sisters to find out about their lives. Help us, we pray to walk together in the light of your truth and holiness and to reach out to one another and bear one another’s burdens. Lord, in your mercy…. hear our prayers

 

 

The Palestine Book Awards, 2018 winners were announced at the Middle East Monitor’s flagship event in London on Friday, the 16th of November. The Academic Awards were given to Maha Nassar for her book ‘Brothers Apart, Palestinian citizens of Israel and the Arab world’ and to Colin Anderson for his book ‘Balfour in the Dock: J.M.N. Jeffries and the Case for the Prosecution’. The Memoir Award went to Reja-e Busailah, who is blind, for his autobiography, ‘In the Land of My Birth. A Palestinian Boyhood.’ Salim Tamari was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to literature on Palestine.

 

• Thank you, Lord, for the gifts you have given to writers to express the concerns of their hearts and to tell their stories. We pray for those who use their gifts to tell the world about what is happening in Palestine. Lord, in your mercy….. hear our prayers

 

On Sunday, the 11th of November, the Israeli authorities banned Hebron’s Rehabilitation Committee from renovating a Palestinian kindergarten near the Ibrahami Mosque in the Old City of Hebron, which is under full Israeli military control. The kindergarten belongs to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society. The Israeli authorities did not provide any reason for the ban.

 

• God of justice and righteousness, we pray that the Israeli occupying forces in Hebron would be moved to withdraw the ban on work at the kindergarten. We continue to pray for an end to the military occupation that deprives our people of a normal life. Lord, in your mercy….. hear our prayers

 

A sixteen year old boy, Abdel Nassar Aweiwi was arrested and abused by the Israeli occupation army on the evening of the 13th of November.

• Lord, it is deeply shocking to witness the level of violence inflicted on children by the Israeli occupation army. We pray for the healing of victims like Abdel Nassar, that they may recover physically and mentally from the abuse. We pray too for the perpetrators of the violence that they may have a change of heart and be held accountable for their crimes. Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers

 

The Kumi Now nonviolent initiative continues this week with Wi’am and their topic of Letting Children be Children. Wi’am, the Palestinian Conflict Transformation Centre, next to the Separation Wall in Bethlehem seeks to provide a safe and stimulating place for Palestinian children to come to, especially for those living in cramped conditions in nearby refugee camps.

www.kuminow.com

 

 

• Lord Jesus when you walked the earth you showed a special love for children, telling your disciples, ‘Let the children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God’,(Luke 18:16). We give thanks for all those seeking to bring joy and peace into the lives of children and particularly for the work of Wi’am. Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers

 

• We join the World Council of Churches in their prayers for the countries of East Timor (Timor Leste), Indonesia, the Philippines.

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Thursday 15^th November 2018

An Israel undercover commando unit killed a Hamas leader and six others inside Gaza near Khan Younis. Israel launched air attacks to provide cover for the retreat of the commandos. An Israeli officer was killed and one wounded. The Israeli incursion and air attacks drew rocket fire from the Hamas-controlled enclave threatening an escalation of violence in the region.

• O Lord, our Shepherd and our Rock, we pray to you at this time of violence in and around Gaza. Please strengthen those in Gaza who are committed to nonviolence and deliverance for all those who continue to suffer. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.

On Thursday 8th November 2018, Israeli forces raided an elementary school in Khirbet Ibziq in the Jordan Valley, disrupted classes, and dismantled a tent used by teaching staff and students.

• Great Teacher, children need an education to have the full and abundant life You came to give them. Bless those who strive to provide an education under these extreme circumstances — for this generation and generations to come.Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.

 Israeli forces detained 511 Palestinians during the month of October, including 74 minors and 15 women. This was confirmed last week in a joint statement by three Palestinian prisoner’s advocacy groups.

• Lord, we continue to pray for Palestinian prisoners, especially children. May your spirit give them courage to stand steadfast and to depend on your justice. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.

 Benjamin Netanyahu has approved the passing of a law, introduced by Avigdor Lieberman, which will remove the strict conditions on capital punishment and will pave the way for the death penalty to be carried out against Palestinians convicted of murder whether in the Israeli Military or civilian court system.

• Lord of justice, Your Son suffered execution at the hands of the state,but He did not let hatred overcome Him. Help us to reach out to the Israeli decision makers so that they may remember that ‘there is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbour?’ (James 4:12). Holy Spirit of God, You strengthen us in the struggle for justice.Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.

 Sabeel is holding its annual Ecumenical Clergy Retreat this week Monday 12th to Wednesday 14th of November. The retreat will take place at the Carmelite Convent of Stella Maris on Mt. Carmel in Haifa. A number of distinguished clergy and lay people will lead the sessions.

• We pray dear Lord for your blessing on this Retreat and for the ecumenical spirit that prevails in the Sabeel programs. Guide the speakers and the participants to be nourished by this fellowship, and help them disseminate the right attitude in their parishes so that the “Other” will be a Blessing.  Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.

 November 15 marks Palestinian Independence Day. Unfortunately, in the 30 years since the state was declared, true independence is still not a reality.

• Lord, we offer thanks for all the people and organizations working to bring about a just peace that will allow Palestine to experience actual independence. We pray for transformation and freedom in this land. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.

The Kumi Now nonviolent initiative continues this week with MennoPIN and their topic of House Demolitions. This week’s action asks you to contact the international contractors involved in Palestinian house demolitions in order to highlight the use of their machines in this illegal act. www.kuminow.com

• This is a prayer for the steadfast, the ones who stand firm,the ones who say: you can destroy my house, but you will never destroy my home.This is a prayer for the ones who stand amidst the ruinsonce the soldiers have gone and silently vow:demolish our houses again if you choose but we will never leave.We will rebuild, we will replant, we will remain. Bless the Kumi nonviolent action this week and give strength to those who stand in solidarity. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.

 

On November 1^st, the Palestinian authority enforced the first comprehensive social security system to cover all private sector workers. Thousands of Palestinian workers continue to demonstrate against the law which they see as unfair and have expressed their mistrust of the Palestinian authority and its intentions.

•  Lord, we pray for all the Palestinian workers who are on the margins. We also give thanks for the demonstrators who stand up for the rights of the people and express their concerns with nonviolence and a creative call for justice. Grant the Palestinian authority open ears to hear the concerns of the people and humble hearts to serve the Palestinian people in a fair and transparent way. Lord in your mercy…

 

• We join with the World Council of Churches in their prayers for Aotearora New Zealand, and Australia. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.

 

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