The Kumi Now online gathering on Tuesday, the 1st of June, looked at the issue of child fatalities in Palestine. The UN marks this day as the Global Day of Parents, but for many Palestinian parents they have to acknowledge that the Israeli Occupation can have more influence over the lives of their children than they have. Many see their children arrested, tried in military courts and sent to prisons in Israel, while others witness their killings by Israeli forces.

On Tuesday, the 8th of June, Kumi Now will be counting the cost of the environmental damage caused by the Israeli Occupation.

• Lord God, our everlasting Father and creator of the ends of the earth, you do not faint or grow weary. Fill us with your strength and renew our hope to see an end to oppression in the Holy Land and for the people there to find ways to live in peace and righteousness.
Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

Muhammed Kiwan was a promising 17-year-old Palestinian Israeli student from Umm al-Fahm. He was a passenger in a car with friends when he was shot and wounded two weeks ago during the unrest. His death is presently under investigation as he is thought to have been targeted by an undercover police officer. Despite the circumstances of his death, his family decided to go ahead with donating his organs and five Jewish patients and one Arab have become recipients.

• Lord, we pray for Muhammed’s family as they grieve over the violent death of their son. We are thankful for their altruism in the face of their suffering. We pray that the circumstances of their son’s death will be fully investigated. Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers.

Demonstrations were held outside a district court in Jerusalem on Wednesday, the 26th of May, where an appeal had been lodged by Palestinian families threatened with forced displacement from their homes in Silwan. The appeal decision was postponed. The Jewish settler organization, Ateret Cohanim, continues to pursue claims to Palestinian homes through the Israeli courts.

• Lord, we pray that the international community will challenge the discriminatory laws which lead to settler annexation and the expulsion of Palestinian families in the Occupied Territories.
Lord in your mercy… hear our prayers.

Last week Hani Amer from the village of Mas’ha, west of Salfit, died. For many years Hani refused to leave his home and land despite suffering threats and violence from the Israeli authorities and the Jewish settlers who came to live right next to him. His home is now surrounded on three sides by the separation barrier, in an area of illegally claimed land 5km away from the Green Line.

• Lord, we pray for the Amer family as they grieve for Hani and remember his steadfast determination to remain in his home, despite the intimidation he faced. We pray for all those who have to live with threats of annexation and settler violence.
Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers.

The Gaza Municipality called for volunteers to come forward to help clear the devastation left by eleven days of bombardment by the Israeli forces. Hundreds of volunteers responded by coming together to clear the Rimal commercial and residential district. The campaign is due to continue all week, beginning each day at a different site of damage.

• Lord, we pray for all those who have been affected by the recent violence in Gaza and Israel. We pray that the ceasefire will hold and that the international community will step forward to help establish a just and lasting peace in Palestine/Israel.
Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

‘The life and death of one Palestinian child’ is a moving podcast available on the Aljazeera website. Farah Bayadsi, a lawyer from Defence for Children International Palestine, speaks about the life of a child she represented, Obaida Jawabra. Obaida was a 17-year- old Palestinian child from Hebron who was shot and killed by the Israeli military on the 17th of May. He was only one of 66 Palestinian children who were killed by the Israeli forces in the month of May.

• Lord, we pray for an end to the Israeli violations of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. We pray that the rest of the world will hold the Israeli authorities to account for the criminalization, torture and killing of Palestinian children in the Occupied Territories .
Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers.

Palestinians living in occupied East Jerusalem in the neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah claim they have been placed under siege by the Israeli authorities. They have to limit their movements and stay close to their homes and are frequently subjected to security checks; while Jewish settlers are given permission to roam freely, often in armed groups of twenty or more.

• Lord, we pray for an end to the hostile incitement of trouble in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. We continue to pray for peace in Jerusalem and an end to forcible dispossessions and house demolitions.
Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers.

• Lord Jesus, we give thanks for the ecumenical worship held by Sabeel at the Dominican Church Jerusalem on Thursday, the 20th of May. We are thankful that the local community and clergy came together to worship and listen to the sermon from Latin Patriarch Emeritus Michel Sabbah.
Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers.

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

This week’s Kumi Now online gathering focused on how Palestinians are preserving their history and culture. Israel continues to build and plant over Palestinian history and persists in erasing its history from street signs, historical markers and history books.

Next week, on Tuesday, the 1st of June, the topic will be the work of the Defence for Children International Palestine. This group monitors child fatalities in Palestine and records widespread Israeli military violations against the human rights of Palestinian children living under occupation.

•    Lord, we pray for all the children living in the Holy Land. So many have been affected by the recent attacks, so many killed and injured and traumatized while others are assaulted, arrested and imprisoned. Lord, we pray for an end to their suffering and a hope for healing in a restored land for those who remain. Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers.

After 11 days of fighting, Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire negotiated by Egypt. The death toll in Gaza reached 232, including 65 children, and 1,760 injured due to Israeli airstrikes; 50,000 families have been displaced. On the Israeli side, 12 people including two children died as a result of Hamas rocket fire from Gaza. It is hoped that the ceasefire will hold and that no more lives will be lost.

•    Lord, we thank you for all the people involved in the negotiations to bring about the ceasefire and to deescalate the mounting violence. Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers.

On Sunday, the 16th of May, Pope Francis spoke out for an end to the violent conflict in Israel/Palestine during the celebration of Sunday Mass. He called on the international community to help find a long-term solution to the conflict.

•    Lord, we seek your face as we pray for all those who continue to suffer from the recent violence. We pray for international support for meaningful peace negotiations and for an end to the blockade of Gaza and the occupation of the Palestinian Territories. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

The Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem condemned the attack on an Armenian priest, Father Arbaq as he walked to the Church of the Resurrection – Holy Sepulchre. A group of young Jewish extremists assaulted him and he had to receive hospital treatment for his injuries.

•    Lord, our souls long for your righteousness. We are cast down when we hear of violent attacks on clergy or other innocent people going about their business. We pray for an end to this spiral of violence and for the establishment of peace and harmony in the city of Jerusalem. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

On the 10th of May, Bethlehem Bible College launched the book ‘The Promised Land: A Theological Reading in the Palestinian Context’ by Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac. The book, in Arabic, is for every Palestinian and Arab Christian who searches for biblical answers that challenge Zionist ideology.

•    Lord, we give thanks for those who shine a light on oppressive nationalist ideologies. We pray that Christians around the world will be aware of the plight of our brothers and sisters in faith living in Palestine. Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers.

•    Holy Spirit, sent by the Father, strengthen our faith and revive your Church with the breath of love at this time of Pentecost. We pray especially for your church in Jerusalem, that all church leaders will remain faithful to Christ as they continue to work for justice, peace and reconciliation. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

•    We join with the World Council of Churches in their prayers for the countries of the Indian Ocean Islands: Comoros, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles.Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

The Kumi online gathering on Tuesday, the 18th of May, focused on the ‘ongoing Nakba’ suffered by Palestinians who are displaced from their homes by Israeli annexation.

The UN celebrates World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development on Friday, the 21st of May. Week 21 of Kumi Now will consider how tolerance and cultural diversity could hold the key to developing the dialogue necessary to achieve peace and sustainable development in the Holy Land.

•    Lord, you delight in diversity and creativity. Help us to find ways to reach out to those from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds with tolerance, trust and respect. Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers.

Every Thursday, at 6pm Jerusalem Time, Sabeel hosts an Online Service. This week Reverend Naim Ateek led worshippers in a meditation of the Ascension of Christ, and helped them to consider what it might mean for Christians today. Believers from around the world were invited to share their thoughts and prayers in response to the opening meditation.

•    Lord Jesus, our great High Priest, living forever to intercede for us, we pray for the church, your broken body in the world. We pray that you would fill us with your Holy Spirit and lead us to the work you have prepared for us. Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers.

On Friday, the 14th of May, Christian clergy and heads of Christian based organizations visited residents of Sheikh Jarrah. Four extended family households in the Palestinian neighborhoods have been battling eviction orders in the courts for years. Jewish settler groups, are trying to evict them and to increase the Jewish presence in the heart of occupied East Jerusalem.

•    Lord Jesus, King of righteousness, enthroned at the right hand of the Father. We pray for the world that it may be subject to your justice and peaceful rule. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

In the final days of Ramadan, Israeli police stormed the al-Aqsa compound where thousands of Muslims were at prayer. During the assault three hundred Palestinians and twenty one Israeli officers were injured. Hamas responded to this assault by firing hundreds of rockets from Gaza into Israel. The Israelis retaliated with heavy aerial bombing of Gaza. Tensions have been heightened throughout the country and a state of emergency was declared after clashes broke out in Lod between Israelis and Palestinians living in Israel.

•    Lord Jesus, Son of Man, you draw humanity into the light of God, we pray for all our brothers and sisters in need, distress or sorrow this day, especially those caught up in the spiral of violence and bloodshed in Palestine and Israel. Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers.

Twenty five Democratic senators have signed a letter urging the US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken to condemn the forcible evictions of Palestinians in Sheikh Jarrah. The lawmakers point out in their letter that more than 5,000 Palestinian homes have been demolished in East Jerusalem within the last fifty years which is a clear violation of international law governing human rights and war crimes.

•    Lord Jesus, Prince of Peace, we turn to you as we see the sanctity of the people of Jerusalem violated at this time. Shine your light on those living in darkness and the shadow of death and guide their feet in the way of justice and peace. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

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

This week’s Kumi Now online gathering looked at the US support for Israel. The US is providing vast amounts of military and economic aid to Israel. Israel is using that aid to oppress Palestinians with impunity. Next week’s Kumi Now will look at the ‘ongoing Nakba’. For Palestinians Saturday, the 15th of May will be the day they commemorate the catastrophe of the Nakba when thousands of Palestinians were forced to flee their homes. Present-day Israeli policies sustain a coercive environment which gives many Palestinians no option but to leave their homes and communities.

· Lord, we pray for an end to the oppression and discriminatory policies forced on Palestinians by the Israeli authorities. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

The Methodist Church has sold its shares in the US-based company, Caterpillar, citing as one of the reasons: the use of its equipment to destroy people’s homes as part of the illegal occupation of the Palestinian Territories.

· Lord Jesus, we are encouraged when we hear that your body, the church, is taking a stand for justice and righteousness. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

For Muslims Ramadan, the month of fasting, comes to a close this coming week. During this month there have been opportunities for young people in Jerusalem to share iftar, the breaking of the fast meal, including one hosted at the Sabeel Centre. On Tuesday, the 27th of April, the Wujod Museum in the Old City held an iftar as part of a documentary project on Palestinian food. Muslims will celebrate Eid Al Fitr on Thursday, the 13th of May.

· Lord, we give thanks for our diverse communities and ask that we may learn to reach out to one another with trust and respect. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

Tensions continue to mount in Jerusalem, and throughout the West Bank and Gaza, amid growing anger over the planned eviction of Palestinians from Jerusalem homes on land claimed by Jewish settlers. On Saturday 8th May, footage showed buses of Palestinian Muslim worshippers from Israeli Arab cities being stopped by police on the main highway to Jerusalem. Word of the roadblock spread on social media, drawing hundreds of young men from nearby Arab villages and from Jerusalem. Dozens drove their cars the wrong way down the now-empty Jerusalem-bound lanes, picking up worshippers who had abandoned their own vehicles to start the uphill trek on foot.

· Lord, we give thanks to the resilience and creative nonviolent resistance of the Palestinian people. We continue to pray that people will not abandon the hope for justice and equality in this troubled land. May our faith in your continuous presence continue to comfort the hearts and souls who decide to walk in your path. Lord in your mercy… hear our prayers

Professor Mona Khoury-Kassabri has been appointed Vice President of Strategy and Diversity at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. This is the first time in the history of the Hebrew University that a member of the Arab community has been appointed to such a senior position.

· Lord, we thank you for Professor Khoury-Kassabri’s groundbreaking appointment. We pray that she may become a role model and will encourage students from the Arab community, as well as other ethnic minorities, to apply for further education. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

Israeli forces raided the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood of occupied East Jerusalem for the second night on Tuesday, the 4th of May. Israeli soldiers sprayed skunk water and assaulted residents and protesters. There are thirty extended families made up of 550 Palestinians in the neighbourhood, who are under threat of forced displacement, to make way for illegal Israeli settlers.

· Lord, we pray that international governments will challenge Israeli attempts to expand illegal settlements in East Jerusalem by forcing Palestinians out of their homes. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

Palestinian journalist, Alaa al-Rimawi began a hunger strike after twelve Israeli soldiers raided his home in Ramallah on the 21st of April. They broke into his home in the middle of the night and arrested him in the presence of his wife and five children. He had been presenting a TV programme informing viewers about Palestinian election candidates. He has now been placed under administrative detention.

· Lord, we pray for Alaa al-Rimawi’s health as he suffers in his hunger strike and we pray for his release from administrative detention. We pray that the Israeli authorities will stop persecuting Palestinian journalists for carrying out their work. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

Today, on Ascension day, we celebrate with the Episcopal church in the Holy Land as Bishop Hosam Elias Naoum is installed as Archbishop in Jerusalem and the Middle East.

· We pray for Bishop Hosam as he is installed as Archbishop in Jerusalem and the Middle East, grant him a spirit of courage and right judgement, a spirit of knowledge, and a heart of love and justice. We pray also for Archbishop Emeritus Suheil Duwani as he enters retirement. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayers.

· We join with the World Council of Churches in their prayers for the countries of India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

This week’s Kumi Now considered the threats of censorship and violence suffered by Palestinian journalists, as World Press Freedom Day was remembered on Monday, the 3rd of May.
Next week’s Kumi Now online gathering will focus on the US support for Israel. The vast amount of US military support for Israel is used to harm Palestinians living in the Holy Land.

• Lord, we pray that leaders around the world will reconsider their arms’ sales and the havoc and oppression caused by the use of this weaponry.
Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers.

In one of the worst disasters in Israel’s civil history, at least 45 people reportedly died and more than 150 were injured in a stampede at a Jewish holy site in northern Israel. The stampede apparently began when a walkway collapsed, with tens of thousands of people at the site.

• Dear Lord, we hold all the families of the victims in our prayers as they mourn the loss of their loved ones. We also pray for the speedy recovery of all who were injured during this disaster. We give thanks to all the medical teams who worked courageously and tirelessly to save the lives of the injured.
Lord in your mercy…hear our prayers.

On Wednesday, the 21st of April, the Palestinian Museum announced the launch of the second phase of its Digital Archive Project which will be published by UCLA. The three- year project will digitise 180,000 archival items. These items will record various aspects of Palestinian social history from the 1800s to the present day.

• Lord, we thank you for this innovative project which will keep alive the identity and precious memories of the social and cultural Palestinian heritage.
Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.
In the month of March the World Health Organisation reported that a 70-year-old woman was among four Gaza cancer patients who were denied Israeli travel permits to cross the Beit Hanoun/Erez Crossing into Israel to receive treatment in East Jerusalem.

• Lord, we pray that the Israeli authorities will show compassion and face international legal obligations to grant travel permits to Gaza patients and their carers.
Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

This week many Palestinians gathered outside the Damascus Gate in Jerusalem in protest at the discrimination they face living under occupation by Israel. These protests come in response to the previous weeks’ demonstrations of hundreds of far-right and anti-Palestinian Israeli activists.

• Lord, we pray for justice and peace in our troubled city Jerusalem. We give thanks to all who continue to speak truth to power and protest the unjust policies
of the decision makers.
Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

In a new report, entitled ‘A Threshold Crossed’, Human Rights Watch states that Israel is committing the crimes of apartheid and persecution against Palestinians in Israel and the occupied territories. It states that Israel has a policy ‘to maintain domination by Jewish Israelis over Palestinians’, including those who are its citizens.

• Lord, we pray that the international community will heed the findings of this report and thoroughly investigate evidence of the discrimination and repression of Palestinians by Israel.
Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

This year the Churches that follow the Julian calendar celebrated Easter Day on Sunday, the 2nd of May.

• Lord Jesus, our good shepherd, we turn to you as we think of all those who celebrated Easter this past Sunday. We listen to your voice and seek to follow you as we remember how you laid down your life for our sake.
Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers.

The Palestinian Journalists’ Union has denounced the recent attack on Rawa Abu Morshed. She was attacked by a Hamas field officer in Gaza. He beat her with a stick and verbally abused her for not wearing a hijab. She had to go to hospital to attend to her injuries.

• Lord, we pray for Rawa’s speedy recovery. We pray that the person who carried the violent attack and abuse on Rawa will be held accountable. We pray that people respect each other’s freedoms, and that such actions are not tolerated nor justified at all.
Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers.

• We join with the World Council of Churches in their prayers for the countries of Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan.
Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

Sabeel Wave of Prayer
29.4.21

This week’s Kumi Now online gathering focused on the Nation-State Law which was passed in the Knesset on the 1st of May, 2018.

Next week’s Kumi Now looks at the threats of censorship and violence suffered by Palestinian journalists, as World Press Freedom Day is remembered on Monday, the 3rd of May. https://zoom.us/j/94679502800   

• Lord, we pray for the Palestinian-Arab and other non-Jewish citizens of Israel, who make up a fifth of the population and yet who do not enjoy the same rights as Jewish citizens.  Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers.

On Thursday, the 15th of April Israelis from the illegal Ahla settlement vandalised the land owned by a Palestinian from Jaloud village, near Nablus. The settlers broke in at night, cut down trees he had planted, stole building equipment and damaged construction material. On Saturday, the 17th of April, Israeli settlers set fire to a mature olive grove belonging to a Palestinian farmer north of the town of Beit Fajjar, near Bethlehem, damaging fifty olive trees.

• Lord, we pray for an end to the cycle of violence being unleashed against Palestinians by Israeli settlers. We pray that the Israeli authorities would seek to curb these increasingly more frequent settler attacks. Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency, (UNRWA), has launched a new centralised digital education platform designed to improve educational access for more than 540,000 refugee students in 711 schools across the Middle East.

• Lord, we thank you that this new educational tool will enable many Palestinian refugee children to continue their schooling when faced with emergencies such as the pandemic or periods of armed conflict. Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers.

Kairos has launched an online campaign to stop the illegal expulsion of Palestinians from the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood of East Jerusalem. They are asking you to sign the campaign to #StopJerusalemExpulsion and #SaveSheikhJarrah on the same link 

https://secure.everyaction.com/wUAYmd6RzEacXxN3WQuYQQ2

• Lord, we pray that many people around the world will support the campaign to challenge the Israeli authorities’ push to expel Palestinians from their homes in Jerusalem. Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers.

For the past twenty-two years the publication ‘This Week in Palestine’ has featured well recognised articles. It is seeking to extend its readership worldwide and hopes to add a further five thousand subscribers. The link to subscribe is : https://thisweekinpalestine.com/subscribe/

• Lord, we pray that the oppression suffered by the Palestinians living in Israel and the occupied  Palestinian Territories will become a matter of international reproach to the Israeli government and will challenge them to seek justice and peace with all citizens. Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers.

Worshippers in the Eastern Orthodox tradition celebrate Sunday, the 2nd of May, as Easter Day, following the older Julian Calendar rather than the Gregorian Calendar.

• Lord Jesus, our precious cornerstone, we ask you to build up the worshipping community in the Eastern Orthodox Church as they celebrate Easter and remember your sacrifice on the cross and your wondrous resurrection. Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers.

The 24th of April marks the day of commemoration of the Armenian genocide.

• ‘Lord,  you created us to be stewards of life and community. Help the Armenian community to continue building their country in peace and contribute to the respect and confidence between peoples and nations’ ( WCC). Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers.

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

Sabeel Wave of Prayer 22.4.21

This week’s Kumi Now online gathering looked at how the Israeli military enforces its policy of Administrative Detention on Palestinian prisoners. By the end of 2019 there were 464 Palestinians being imprisoned under administrative detention.

Next week’s Kumi Now will focus on the Nation State Law, as passed by the Knesset on the 1st of May, 2018.  https://zoom.us/j/94679502800  

• Lord, we pray that the hundreds of Palestinians held under administrative detention without prospect of charges or fair trial may not succumb to despair. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

Amnesty International’s Annual Report, released on Wednesday, the 7th of April, spoke out against the ‘institutionalised discrimination’ shown by the Israeli authorities in their failure to provide vaccine for five million Palestinians. Cases of coronavirus have risen sharply in the West Bank and Gaza and only 100,000 people have been inoculated in the West Bank and 30,000 in Gaza.

• Lord, we pray that more vaccine will be made available by Covax and by wealthier countries to help the health authorities in the occupied Palestinian Territories and Gaza to bring down the virus infection rate. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

A thirteen-year-old Palestinian boy lost the sight in his right eye on Friday, the 9th of April, when he was shot by an Israeli soldier in the Bab al-Zawiya neighbourhood of Hebron. Izz al-Din was working in a vegetable shop after school and happened to look out at an incident between soldiers and protestors nearby when the shooting occurred.

• Lord, we pray for Izz as he recovers from the trauma of losing the sight in his eye. We pray that this incident will be thoroughly investigated by the Israeli military police. Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers.

On Friday, the 9th of April, three Palestinians living in two different towns in the north of Israel were killed. The death toll of Palestinians living in Israel now stands at 25 victims since the beginning of the year.

• Lord, we pray that the neglectful attitude shown by the Israeli police to violent crime committed in Palestinian communities in Israel will change. We pray that the police and Palestinian community leaders will work together to curb the rise in homicide. Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers.

On Saturday, the 10th of April, the municipality of Bethlehem and the Palestinian Ministry of Culture streamed the Bethlehem Capital of Culture performances, postponed since last year due to the coronavirus . Highlights of artistic performances and discussions are available online at bethlehemculturalfestival.com.

• Lord, we give thanks for the creativity of artists, dancers and writers who can use their gifts to lift our spirits at a time of pandemic and economic need. Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers.

The Israeli Supreme Court ruled on Monday, the 12th of April, that the Israeli authorities could continue to use its Cyber Unit to conduct censorship in cooperation with social media outlets, including Facebook and Twitter. The state is not required to inform social media users of any censorship and they cannot defend their rights in the face of any censorship.

• Lord, we pray that the Israeli authorities will start to value freedom of expression and stop practising censorship on social media users in Palestine/ Israel. Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers.

The British-Palestinian filmmaker, Farah Nabulsi’s short film, ‘The Present’ ,won the award for Best Short Film 2021 on Saturday, the 10th of April at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, (BAFTA). The film tells the story of Yousef, (played by Saleh Bakri), taking his young daughter to buy a wedding anniversary gift for his wife in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

• Lord Jesus, you are the light for the nations, we pray that you will open the eyes of those who are blind to the suffering endured by those living under occupation in the Holy Land. Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers.

On Wednesday, the 14th of April, the United Nation’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, (OCHA), released their report on the rise in Israeli settler attacks on Palestinians. In 2020 experts documented 771 incidents of settler violence causing injuries to 133 Palestinians and damaging 9646 trees and 184 vehicles.

• Lord, we pray for a halt to the illegal Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank and an end to the  settler intimidation of Palestinians to try and force them from their land. Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers.

• We pray for the World Council of Churches in their prayers for the countries of Belarus, Moldova, Russia, and the Ukraine. Lord in your mercy… hear our prayers.

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

15.4.21

This week’s Kumi Now online gathering focused on the Israeli policy of demolishing Palestinian homes. According to the Israeli Committee Against House Demolition (ICHAD) the Israeli authorities have demolished more than 60,000 Palestinian houses and structures in the occupied Palestinian Territories since 1967. Next week Kumi Now will consider the issue of ‘Administrative Detention’, as we remember Palestinian Prisoner Day on Saturday, the 17th of April.

https://zoom.us/j/94679502800

• Lord, we pray that the Israeli authorities will cease to use the policy of house demolition to force Palestinians from their homes and their land. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

‘Hope will rise’ was the theme of the Sabeel-Kairos UK Virtual Easter Service held on Saturday, the 10th of April. Father Fadi Diab, Pastor of St Andrew’s Church, Ramallah spoke about how hope still exists in the Palestinian Christian community.

• Lord Jesus, you came to renew your disciples’ hope after your resurrection, saying to them, ‘Peace be with you’. We pray that you will renew the hope in our hearts and bless us with your peace as we seek to serve you in the world. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

A Palestinian mother and her 2-year-old daughter were on their way to visit relatives in Ash- Shuhada Street in the old city of Hebron when they were assaulted by Israeli settlers on Tuesday evening, the 5th of April. The child’s father, Mufeed Sharbati, reported that his son had also faced harassment earlier in the week.

• Lord, we pray for an end to the constant attacks perpetrated by Israeli settlers on Palestinians. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

Israel’s Jerusalem municipality has given approval to the construction of 540 housing units for settlers in occupied East Jerusalem. This construction will affect the Palestinian village of Beit Safafa and the neighbourhood of Sharafat, north of Bethlehem. It will also link two major illegal settlements, Har Homa and Givat Hamatos, isolating Beit Safafa from other Palestinian neighbourhoods to the east and from Bethlehem to the south.

• Lord, we pray that voices around the world will cry out against the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements and the division and disruption of Palestinian communities in occupied East Jerusalem and in the West Bank. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

Palestinians will vote for an elected legislature on Saturday, the 22nd of May and for presidential polls on Saturday, the 31st of July, after a fifteen-year hiatus. The Israeli government has not yet responded to Palestinian requests to allow citizens of East Jerusalem to cast their ballots, as they did in previous elections.

• Lord, we pray that all Palestinians living in the occupied Palestinian Territories, including East Jerusalem, will be able to participate in free and fair elections this summer. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

Cassif, the only Jewish Knesset member in the predominantly Arab Joint List was beaten by Israeli police during a protest in East Jerusalem. Demonstrations by both Palestinians and Israelis take place regularly in Sheikh Jarrah to protest Israeli court decision to evict 550 Palestinians from their homes.

• Lord, we continue to be overwhelmed by the unjust and abusive actions of Israel. We ask for your spirit to give us the strength to continue the nonviolent resistance to bring the insanity of the Israeli occupation to an end. Lord in your mercy…  

This week our Muslim brothers and sisters in Palestine, Israel and around the world will begin observing the holy month of Ramadan. 

• Lord, we pray that amidst the violence and oppression in much of the Middle East, and that those who observe Ramadan will find it a time of peace and reflection. We also pray that Ramadan will be a joyous time as family and friends break bread together.  Lord in your mercy… 
• We join with the World Council of Churches in their prayers for the countries of Bulgaria, Hungary, and Romania. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers

Sabeel Wave of Prayer
8.4.21

This week’s Kumi Now online gathering will consider the issue of Palestinian minors prosecuted in Israeli military courts. The Prisoner Support Association, Addameer, reports that about 700 Palestinian children under the age of 18 years are prosecuted every year in Israeli military courts after being arrested, interrogated and detained by the Israeli military.  https://kuminow.com/register/

•    Lord, we pray that Palestinian children in the occupied Palestinian territories should be afforded all their legal rights according to international law. We continue to pray for the end of the Israeli military occupation of Palestine. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

Kairos Palestine has released its 2021 Easter Alert, focusing on the city of Jerusalem.

‘This year, may Easter, the celebration of resurrection, be a celebration of new peace, love, and full equality for all the people in Jerusalem, the entire region and the whole world. The people of Jerusalem are responsible, the international community is responsible, and so are the Churches, to bring back to Jerusalem its holiness where justice, peace, and love may prevail.’

•    Lord of all hopefulness, ‘Your steadfast love never ceases, your mercies never come to an end,’(Lam.3:22). We pray for the restoration of the holy city of Jerusalem into a city of peace, reconciliation and love. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

In Israel more than five million people have been vaccinated against Covid-19 and the infection rate is dropping. While in the occupied Palestinian Territories coronavirus cases are rising, particularly in Gaza. So far Israel has failed to honor its responsibilities as an occupying power to provide vaccines to the almost five million Palestinians living under its military occupation.

•    Lord, you are the help and deliverer to those in need. We bring before you all those living in poorer countries, that the rich and powerful countries will share vaccine stocks, so that all may receive protection from the virus. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

Palestinian workers were chased by Israeli soldiers near the village of Rummanah by the separation wall near Jenin on Sunday, the 28th of March. During this incident Mahmoud Qasrawi fell to the ground and sustained a severe head wound. He was rushed to the intensive care unit at Rafidia Hospital, Nablus.

•    Lord we remember all Palestinian workers who have to go through great difficulties to earn their daily bread. We pray for Mahmoud Qasrawi, that he would receive the treatment he needs in hospital to recover from his serious injury. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

On Sunday, the 28th of March a group of Israeli settlers set up a tent on Palestinian-owned land in the town of Taqou’, to the east of Bethlehem. This is the first step in establishing a new settlement outpost which would prevent Palestinian farmers from being able to access and cultivate their land.

•    Lord, we pray for an end to the rapid expansion of illegal Israeli settlements across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

After serving twenty years as a political prisoner Magd Barbar, 45, was finally released on Monday, the 29th of March. However, his family celebrations, which are not allowed by the Israeli authorities, were short-lived. Israeli soldiers raided his home on Tuesday night and rearrested him because of the celebration. He was released the following day.

•    Lord Jesus, we pray for the thousands of Palestinians now serving as political prisoners in Israeli jails. ‘You give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, guide our feet into the way of peace.’ (Luke 1:79) Lord in your mercy…hear our prayers.

Palestinians commemorated the 45th anniversary of Land Day on Tuesday, the 30th of March. Six Palestinians were killed and many more injured on that day in 1976 when they demonstrated against the Israeli expropriation of their land. The Israeli annexation of Palestinian land inside Israel and the West Bank continues unabated.

•    Lord, we pray that the international rule of law will challenge the Israeli authorities and will prevent the perpetration of crimes against the Palestinian people. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

Tony Davies died on Tuesday, the 23rd of February at the age of 87 years after many years of campaigning for the rights of Palestinians. He was an active member of the Kairos movement, attending national meetings as well as organising local Kairos meetings in Exeter. He was also active in the Devon Quaker working group on Israel and Palestine.

•    Lord, we give thanks for the life and witness of Tony Davis. We pray for his wife and his family and friends as they grieve his loss. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

•    We join with the World Council of Churches in their prayers for the countries of the Balkans: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Slovenia. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

1.04.21

This week’s Kumi Now online gathering will look at the living conditions for the residents of Gaza. Two million people live in the enclave, making it one of the most densely populated places on earth. However, the population has been denied access to vital natural resources under the blockade from Israel and Egypt since 2007.

April 5 is Palestinian Children’s Day, April 7^th Kumi Now will host Military Court Watch and focus on Palestinian minors in Israeli military courts.

Register here: https://kuminow.com/register/

• Lord, we pray for the people of Gaza as they try to survive under the harsh conditions imposed on them. We pray that the blockade will be lifted and that hope will be restored to them. Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers.

Sabeel, with the cooperation of it friends, is holding online worship services during the season of Lent. On the 27th of March, a worship service a day before Palm Sunday with the Ecumenical Palestine Israel Network in Australia was held. On the 3rd of April there will be a worship service with Friends of Sabeel North America and on the 10th of April there will be a worship service with Friends of Sabeel-Kairos UK.  

• Lord, your word is upright and all your work is done in faithfulness, (Ps.33:4). We pray for the preparation of these Sabeel services, that they would reflect your steadfast and faithful love. Lord in your mercy… hear our prayers.

Hundreds of Palestinians protested in Umm al-Fahm and Qalansawe in Israel on Friday, the 19th of March, for the tenth consecutive week. The demonstrators are challenging the lack of Israeli police action in investigating a recent spate of homicide cases and no attempt to curb a rise in unlicensed arms sales.

• Lord, we pray for peace and justice in the Palestinian Arab community in Israel. We pray that they may have access to due process under the law, without discrimination. Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers.

After twenty years of planning and construction a new wastewater treatment plant has been put into operation in Gaza, with help from German investment. The plant has been built in the town of Bureij and will process wastewater from eleven communities with one million inhabitants. It will be powered by a biogas plant and a solar plant on the same site.

• Lord, we are thankful that many families in Gaza will now have access to potable water. We continue to pray for those people who go for days without running water due to the low levels of freshwater in the ground reserves. Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers.

Dr Beshara Doumani has been appointed the President of Birzeit University at the start of the next academic year. Dr Doumani is currently the Professor of History at Brown University in the US and he established the Centre for Middle East Studies there.

• Lord, we are thankful for the academic gifts of Dr Doumani and we pray that he will lead Birzeit University with wisdom and vision in his forthcoming presidency. Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers.

Living conditions in Gaza have deteriorated with the coronavirus pandemic. Many suffering poverty and illness have turned to the Caritas Gaza Medical Centre for help in their need.

Workers from the Centre have visited 10,000 people suffering from the virus and trying to cope at home.

• Lord Jesus, as we prepare for Passion Week we think of your life on earth and the way you showed mercy to all those in need. Before you faced your death on the cross, you spoke to your followers and told them, ‘I was sick and you visited me,’(Matt.25:35). Thank you, Lord, that the Caritas workers in Gaza live out your call to care for the sick and needy. We pray for protection and strength for them in their work. Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers.

‘Pilgrimages with a Mission’ will be the theme of a webinar hosted by Gied ten Berge (in English) from the Luce Centre for Religious Communication at Tilburg University in the Netherlands, on the 29th of April at 3pm. Gied will be discussing the Palestinian ‘Come and See’ Initiative which was the basis for a PhD thesis, recently translated into English.

Register here: Dibsa 2.7.0 (uvt.nl)

• Lord, we pray that, once the pandemic is over, pilgrims will once again visit the Holy Land to meet Palestinians and to see for themselves what life is like for Palestinians living under the Israeli occupation. Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers.

• We join with the World Council of Churches in their prayers for the countries of the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia. Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayers.