Sabeel Wave of Prayer

23^rd May 2019

The ‘Great March of Return’ protest was cancelled by the organisers for only the second time in over a year. A large demonstration had already taken place in Gaza on Wednesday, the 15th of May to commemorate Nakba Day and call for their right to return to their homes to be recognised. Sixty-five Gazans were injured during that demonstration as the Israeli army used live fire and tear gas against ten thousand protestors.

• Lord, we pray for all those who were injured during the demonstration in Gaza. We continue to pray for an end to the blockade of Gaza and for the right of return to their homes for the Palestinian refugees. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Supporters of the Kumi Now initiative are encouraged this week to meet up in Kumi city gatherings. The idea is that such gatherings would help activists to get to know one another better. Hopefully they will then want to organise future events, such as sharing a meal, showing a film or inviting a speaker to raise a greater awareness of Palestine in their communities.

• Dear Lord, we thank you for all those people who have a heart for the injustice suffered by those living in Palestine and Israel. We pray that they may work together to help bring a clearer understanding of the oppression suffered by Palestinians. We long for an international outcry against the injustice they face. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Palestinians called for a boycott of the Eurovision Song Contest final in Tel Aviv on Saturday, the 18th of May. They staged an alternative show called ‘Globalvision’ in Haifa with Palestinian, Israeli, and international artists. The hope was to draw attention to the country’s occupation. Globalvision parties were also planned in London, Dublin, and Bethlehem as well as a separate Gazavision which took place in Gaza held by a group of youth called We Are Not Numbers which was won by 23-year-old Jahed Shehada.

• Dear Lord, we thank you that Palestinian artists have come together to use their creative gifts to highlight the difficulties faced by their people living under occupation in Israel. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

The Israeli group ‘Breaking the Silence’ erected an enormous billboard on the busiest street in Tel Aviv with the slogan, ‘Dare to Dream of Freedom’, playing on this year’s Eurovision slogan, ‘Dare to Dream’. ‘Breaking the Silence’ is an NGO group comprised of former soldiers against Israel’s occupation of the West Bank. Behind the slogan the billboard shows a picture of Tel Aviv’s Mediterranean beachfront alongside a view of Israel’s West Bank separation wall with a military watchtower. It also invites visitors to ‘See the Full Picture’ with daily free tours to Hebron in the occupied West Bank.

• Dear Lord, millions of people viewed the Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday, the 18th of May. Many will be unaware of the apartheid conditions suffered by Palestinians living in the West Bank and particularly by those living near the separation wall. We are thankful for the courage of the activists in the ‘Breaking the Silence’ group in erecting the billboard and offering tours to the West Bank. We pray that they will open the eyes and hearts of many more people to the sufferings of the Palestinians. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

The situation in Gaza worsens by the day. The Palestinian Authority has imposed sanctions on the Gaza Strip as part of its ongoing dispute with Hamas. These sanctions have led to cuts in payments to thousands of civil servants and needy families. Now UNWRA is warning that more than one million people in Gaza will face hunger next month, due to the sudden cut in Palestinian refugee aid imposed by the US in 2018.

• Oh Lord, we remember your undertaking to ‘uphold all who are falling and to raise up all who are bowed down’, (Psalm 145:14). We bring the people of Gaza to you as they try to survive in their confined land, which has become an open prison. We pray that international powers will respond to the urgent call for help, to keep the people there from starvation and recognise their right to return to their land. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

An Arab American musician, Tawfiq Zaher, was walking on a street in Nazareth when he was killed by a stray bullet. He was a well-known and gifted Oud player. Thousands of people attended his funeral. They also voiced their concern over the rising levels of violence being experienced by the Arab community living inside Israel.

• Dear Lord, we pray for the family and friends of Tawfiq Zaher as they mourn his sudden and accidental death. We pray too that the Israeli police will take interest in combatting rising levels of crime and violence in the communities they are meant to protect. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

As part of the Sabeel Wave of Prayer for Thursday 23rd May 2019 we had news and a prayer for the death of Aisha Al-Lulu, unfortunately the reporting from where we took the news at the time was not accurate. Therefore please see the below replacement news item:

Aisha Al-Lulu, a five-year-old Palestinian girl with cancer from Gaza, died in a Gaza hospital. Aisha had undergone a complex operation to remove a cancerous tumour from the brain stem and died due to complications after surgery. Aisha was treated in a Jerusalem hospital, however, her parents were repeatedly denied permission to leave Gaza and join her during her treatment, leaving the five-year-old to cope alone with major surgery and a difficult recovery.

• Lord, we remember the family of Aisha as they grieve for their loss. We confess the sin of being silent and tolerating for long the unjust Israeli military practices. Lord help us in our struggle to regain our freedom and dignity. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.

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

Thursday 16^th May 2019

The Great March of Return and Breaking the Siege protests continued this week, with organisers emphasising the importance of keeping the protests non-violent and away from the fence. Abdullah Abed al-Ail, 24, was killed by Israeli live ammunition, while 30 others, including four children and a paramedic, were injured.

• Lord, we continue to pray for the safety of the Palestinian protesters andfor their rightful demands to be answered. We pray that those who have been injured may soon recover and that grieving family of Abdullah may find solace. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.

This week, Palestinians commemorate 71 years since Nakba. Our Kumi Now initiative focuses on the work BADIL Resource Centre for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights. BADIL is an independent, human rights non-profit organization committed to protecting and promoting the rights of Palestinian refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs).

• Lord, we pray for the work of BADIL and for their work with refugees and IDPs. Grant to us all the graciousness to show hospitality to the stranger especially to those suffering from trauma. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that in the past two weeks alone, Israeli occupation forces demolished 41 Palestinian-owned structures in occupied East Jerusalem and Area C of the occupied West Bank, displacing 38 Palestinians and affecting 121 others.

• Lord, we continue to pray for the people of Palestine as they live under Israeli occupation. We remember the families that have lost their homes, especially the children. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.

For the past 14 years, an Israeli group, Combatants for Peace, have organized an alternative Israeli-Palestinian Memorial Ceremony that aims to “acknowledge the pain of those living on the ‘other side,’” and brings together Israeli and Palestinian families bereaved by the conflict. Israel’s Supreme Court on Monday ordered Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, following his refusal to grant Palestinians permits, to allow 100 Palestinians from the West Bank to attend the joint Israeli-Palestinian Memorial Day ceremony in Tel Aviv.

• Lord, we pray for all people of conscience in both Palestine and Israel who work for Justice. we give thanks for all the initiatives that aim to shed light on the suffering of the innocent victims of the Israeli military occupation. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Palestinians are commemorating the Nakba on May 15th. This date reminds them of the catastrophe which began seventy-one years ago, in 1948 when five hundred and thirty Palestinian villages and towns were destroyed and over seven hundred and fifty thousand Palestinians fled for their lives. A whole generation of Palestinians have now been constrained to live out their lives as refugees.

• God of love and justice, as we commemorate the Palestinian Nakba (May 15) this week, our hearts break with the grief of 71 years of different forms of injustice and suffering in Palestine. Though our hearts break, we remain steadfast. Keep our courage and resilience strong and renew within the Palestinian people the will and the hope for strategic peaceful resistance to on-going abuses. Lord, we cry out that the continuing Nakba of Palestinian dispossession and suffering must end! We pray for all Palestinians at home and abroad, especially refugees driven from their homes in 1948, they still long to return to their rightful homes. How long, O Lord, will this continue?
  Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Two Palestinian prisoners Odeh Hroub, 32, and Hasan Awawi, 35, held in Israeli administrative detention, without a charge or trial, completed on May 12^th, 41 days of hunger strike protesting their unfair detention.

• Lord, we pray that the spirit of the Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike remains strong specially as their health continues to deteriorate. We remember the mothers of the Palestinian prisoners and their pain. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.

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

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

9^th May 2019

Following the Great March of Return and Breaking the Siege protests, during which three Gazans were killed, the situation in Gaza again seems desperate: Israeli airstrikes in retaliation for hundreds of rockets fired by militia from Gaza towards Israel resulting in the death of four Israelis and around 23 Palestinians, with many more injured. These bombardments cruelly punish the mainly peaceful people of Gaza, whose desire is to live with dignity and freedom. An Egyptian negotiated ceasefire took effect early this week, but any break in hostilities is very fragile.

• God of peace, our prayers for a real and lasting cease-fire and the protection of the civilians are unending. From lack of water, electricity, and medical supplies to the onset of diseases, the humanitarian disaster caused by the Israeli blockade of in Gaza from both land and sea has no immediate end.  Lord, comfort your people in Gaza; be with them in the shelters, in their broken neighbourhoods, in the overcrowded hospitals, and in the lines as they wait for water.  Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.

This week’s Kumi Now initiative focuses on the work of Al-Quds University in Jerusalem. The university helps its students to come to grips with the prejudice and the challenges they face under the occupation of the Palestinian Territories by Israel. The Palestinian people are made up of Christians, Samaritans, alongside a majority of Muslims. The Western media will often portray all Palestinians as Muslim terrorists, and this undermines global support for their struggle for justice.

• Lord, we thank you for the work of Al Quds University and how they are trying to help young Palestinians to gain insight into the prejudice they face. We pray for the students that they may rise to the challenge of overcoming obstacles and hold onto their hope for the future. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Ramadan begins this week for millions of Muslims around the world. They will fast from dawn till dusk and then break their fast with prayer and an iftar meal once the sun has set.

• Lord of all, we remember our Muslim brothers and sisters as they begin to observe this holy month of Ramadan.  We pray that this time of fasting will draw them closer to you, to each other, and to all your children. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

A US citizen, Omar Shakir, the Israel and Palestine Director of Human Rights’ Watch was given a week’s delay in his deportation from Israel on Tuesday, the 30th of April. The reason given for his deportation was that he was supporting the boycott of Israel during his time living in the country. The district court cited Shakir’s support on Twitter for Airbnb’s decision to remove postings from Israeli settlements in the West Bank, (which it has since revoked).

• Lord, we pray for those who have the courage to speak about abuses carried out in illegal Israeli settlements. We continue to pray that the Israeli government will value international law and the right to freedom of speech and not use their justice system to stifle them. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

The death has been announced of Dr Subhi Ghosheh. He worked as a doctor in Jerusalem from 1953-71. He had a heart for the poor people he treated, often foregoing charges or paying for medication for those who had no money. He was also renowned as an expert on the history of Jerusalem and wrote about Palestinian culture when he was exiled to live in Kuwait and Amman from 1971 onwards.

• Lord, we give thanks for the life of Dr Ghosheh. We thank you especially for his compassionate heart as he worked among the people of Jerusalem. We appreciate his love for his native Palestine, even though he, like so many other Palestinians, was forced to live in exile for more than half his lifetime. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Israeli settlers chopped down at least 150 olive trees, which were growing on Palestinian agricultural land in Burqa village, east of Ramallah on Wednesday, the 1st of May. It was reported that occupying Israeli soldiers provided protection for the settlers. One of the Palestinian owners of the land also reported that Israeli settlers had tried to assault him two days previously while he was working on his land.

• Lord, we pray for Palestinian farmers who live near illegal Israeli settlements and who suffer harassment and vandalism almost daily. This violence appears to be a deliberate policy to force the Palestinians to abandon their land. We pray that this state-sanctioned intimidation would cease. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

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

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

2^nd May 2019

On Friday, 26 April 2019, in excessive use of force against peaceful protesters on the 56^th Friday of the Great March of Return and Breaking the Siege, Israeli forces wounded 110 civilians, including 37 children, 3 women, 4 paramedics, and a journalist, in the eastern Gaza Strip.  Two of those wounded sustained serious wounds.

• Lord, we pray for all those who were injured during the protests. We continue to pray that a just peace will be negotiated bringing peace and a right to return for the refugees of Gaza. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

This week’s Kumi Now initiative focuses on the work of the Palestinian Centre for Development and Freedom (MADA). Palestinian journalists face regular threats of censorship and violence. The Centre, based in Ramallah, works alongside journalists across the Palestinian Territories to promote and defend freedom of speech and expression through the media.

• Lord, we thank you for the work of MADA and for the protection and encouragement it offers to those who seek to express the truth, no matter how disturbing it may be. Lord you direct us to think about ‘whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just’, (Phil 4:8) and to practice these things. We pray that the truth in Palestine may not be suppressed by the occupying Israeli authorities. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Labour Day will be a public holiday in Palestine on Wednesday, the 1^st May. On a daily basis, Palestinian workers are forced to wait for hours at checkpoints throughout the West Bank in order to be allowed into Israel for work which is often poorly paid. Under Israel’s permit regime, Palestinians from the West Bank are only allowed to access East Jerusalem or Israel with a difficult to obtain Israeli-issued permit.

• Lord, we pray for the Palestinians who have to endure overcrowded conditions and long waits so they can work and support their families. We pray for an end to this inhumane permit policy. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Lawmakers have called on the Israeli government to recognise the Armenian Genocide on its Annual Memorial Day (24^th April). The Armenian Genocide started in 1915 when the Ottoman Empire killed 1.5 million Armenians. Thousands of Armenians fled to Arab countries and settled in various places, including Jerusalem. Thirty governments and parliaments have so far recognised this genocide. However, it is unlikely that Israel will follow them as they have a strong ally in Azerbaijan, who are in conflict with Armenia.

• Lord, we pray for our Armenian Palestinian brothers and sisters living in Jerusalem and elsewhere in Palestine. We pray for them as they remember with sorrow the terrible genocide. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Osama Hajajeh, a 16-year-old Palestinian shepherd is in hospital with serious gunshot wounds to both his legs after he was shot by Israeli soldiers on Thursday, the 18th of April.

They shot him when he tried to stand up after they blindfolded him and handcuffed his hands behind his back. Other teenagers had been protesting about the roadblocks around their village, but Osama denied being one of the youngsters throwing stones at military vehicles.

• Dear Lord, we pray that Osama will recover from his serious wounds and be able to walk again. We pray that the occupying Israeli military will cease their indiscriminate use of live fire against defenceless Palestinians. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

On Thursday 2nd May, Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA) will hold an online conversation titled “With Love as its Logic: Heeding the Call of Palestinian Christians.” The conversation is an opportunity to hear from Palestinian Christians as they discuss the current political climate in Palestine and the Kairos petition and call for action on May 15^th, as well as marking the 10th anniversary of the Kairos Document. Contributors will include Muna Mashahwar (National Coalition of Christian Organisations in Palestine), Rifat Kassis (Kairos Palestine), and Omar Haramy (Sabeel Jerusalem), it will be facilitated by Tarek Abuata (FOSNA).

Register here: bit.ly/kairospalestine.

• Lord, we pray for this event that it would be a fruitful discussion to find ways forward to encourage Palestinians and for their friends around the world to show solidarity and support. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.

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

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

25^th April 2019

The Israeli authorities have announced a week long general closure of the West Bank and Gaza over the Jewish Passover holiday. All checkpoints and border crossings to the West Bank and Gaza will be sealed off and entry to Israel for all Israeli-issued permit holders will be banned, apart from exceptional cases.

• Lord, we pray for those who will be affected by this week-long ban. So many Palestinians are living in poverty and depend on the income from their jobs in Israel and this ban will make their struggle even harder. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

The ‘Great March of Return’ protest continued along the Gaza/Israel border on Frida with, mostly peaceful, protestors calling for the ability to return to their homes. At least 37 Palestinians were injured by Israeli live fire, including 5 paramedics and 4 journalists.

• Lord we pray for all those who were injured, and we remember those who take risks in their work to help the weak and the wounded. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Over 300 Christians have been killed and over 500 injured in the bombing of churches and hotels in Sri Lanka as they celebrated Easter. These bombings were carried out by radical terrorist groups and directly targeted the Christian community.

• Dear Lord, in this time of horror and loss comfort those who are grieving, give peace to those who are afraid, and grant healing to those recovering. We pray that You would strengthen the Christian community in Sri Lanka; may those brothers and sisters in Christ come alongside one another in support and not fear to meet. Grant us a commitment that reacts with non-violence, and a patience that works for your coming; And teach us to hate only our tribalism and prejudice which separate us from those different to us. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

This week’s Kumi Now initiative focuses on the work of the Department of Service to Palestinian Refugees (DSPR). The Department was formed by clergy and lay people before and during 1948. At this time 750,000 Palestinians were uprooted from their homes and many became refugees. There are now over five million Palestinian refugees living in 58 refugee camps across the region in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank and Gaza. The DSPR responds to the rights of Palestinians to have access to essential services and to strengthen their communities, with the hope of returning to their homeland.

• Lord, we thank you for the work of the DSPR as they attempt to help Palestinian refugees to live dignified lives in oppressive conditions. We pray that the voice of these refugees may be heard, through organisations like the DSPR, in any future peace negotiations with Israel. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Israeli police put a stop to a Palestinian soccer tournament in the Beit Safafa neighbourhood in the central occupied West Bank district of Jerusalem. The police claimed that the tournament was being run by the Palestinian Authority to mark Palestinian Prisoners’ Day. The tournament was for twelve teams of 12-13 year-olds and was organised by the Jerusalemite Forum who have no political affiliation.

• Lord, the children hoping to play in this tournament will have been so disappointed to miss it. These youngsters have few opportunities to take part in sporting competitions, living as this community does behind the Israeli separation wall, cut off from the rest of the West Bank. We pray for these young ones that other opportunities will be sought for them to compete and enjoy playing soccer. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Israel’s Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from Palestinian families in the Silwan district of East Jerusalem. Their appeal stated that the Municipality had discriminated against them by refusing to grant them building permits and had forced them to build illegally. Israeli police and officials began demolishing 60 buildings, home to 500 residents, on Wednesday, the 17th of April.

• Lord, we pray for the hundreds of Palestinians who will be made homeless in East Jerusalem this week because they have been refused building permits. It is becoming clear that house by house, Palestinians are being forced out of East Jerusalem. We pray that the discrimination against Palestinians who apply for building permits would be exposed and that this practice would cease. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

The Jerusalem Municipality has announced that its public kindergartens are no longer allowed to accept foreigners or minorities (commonly used to mean Palestinians) into its facilities for security reasons. The Racism Crisis Centre has raised objections to this announcement and the municipality has agreed to amend the wording of the notice.

• Lord Jesus we cry to you as we hear of children being banned in the holy city of Jerusalem for their ethnicity. Lord, you sent your followers out to make disciples of all nations. Nobody is to be excluded in your kingdom on racial grounds. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.

In Jerusalem this Easter week thousands of Orthodox Christians who follow the Julian calendar around the world will celebrate the Resurrection in many churches, including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

• We praise you Lord and thank you for how you made your light shine upon us: ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ Psalm 118:26. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer

• 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 prayer.

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

18^th April 2019

Hundreds of Palestinians took part in the ‘Great March of Return’ along the Gaza/Israel border on Friday, the 12th of April. One teenager, 15-year-old Maisara Shallouf died from Israeli live fire, while 93 civilians, including 17 children, four women, three paramedics, and a journalist, were injured.

• Lord, we pray for the family of Maisara as they mourn their loss. We pray for an end to the killings at the border and the injuries sustained by the people of Gaza week after week. We pray for an end to the blockade and the right for refugees to return to their homes. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

This week’s Kumi Now initiative focuses on the work of Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association. Addameer is a Palestinian institution which works to support Palestinian political prisoners held in Israeli and Palestinian prisons. It has also launched a global campaign to stop administrative detention. This procedure allows the Israeli military to hold prisoners indefinitely on secret information, without charging them or allowing them to stand trial.

• Lord, we thank you for the work of Addameer which seeks to support prisoners, especially those who have no right to plead their case.  At Easter time we remember how our Lord Jesus was arrested, and suffered mocking and beatings while in prison, abandoned by even his closest friends. Help us to remember those who suffer in prison. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Over 100 Palestinian prisoners entered their fifth day of hunger strike on Friday, the 12th of April, following the failure of talks with the Israel Prison Service (IPS) over worsening conditions in Israeli prisons.

• Lord, we pray that the authorities will respect the human rights of Palestinian prisoners and reconsider the harsh new regulations. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Benjamin Netanyahu rallied his right-wing base to deliver the votes he needed to form a new coalition government. In the final days of the election Mr Netanyahu announced that any government led by him would annex Israeli settlements in the West Bank. These settlements are considered illegal under international law.

• Oh Lord, we pray for Israel as we see it being transformed into an apartheid state where Israeli citizens enjoy full rights, while Palestinians lack political and other human rights. We pray that international lawmakers will act over the illegal annexation of Israeli settlements. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

On Tuesday, the 9th of April the Israeli Civil Administration distributed notices to Palestinian residents in the Tubas area, informing them that they plan to seize 384 dunams, (95 acres) of Palestinian-owned land. The seizure of the land is for the purpose of building Israeli-only roads between settlements.

• Lord, we pray for those whose land is seized and who have no recourse to justice. We pray that this Israeli land-grab will cease. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Sabeel Jerusalem organised a retreat in Jericho for six groups of women, totalling one hundred women altogether, on Friday, the 12th of April.

• We thank you Lord, for this precious opportunity for Palestinian women to meet together in your name to worship and to prepare themselves for the Easter celebrations. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

In Jerusalem this Easter week thousands of Christians from around the world will be joining worshippers in the city to process for Palm Sunday and Good Friday and to celebrate the Resurrection in many churches, including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

• We praise you Lord and thank you for how you made your light shine upon us: ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ Psalm 118:26. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.

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

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

11^th April 2019

On Friday, the 5th of April, in border protests east of Gaza City, 84 Palestinian protestors have been wounded by Israeli live fire, one of whom is in critical condition.

• Lord, we pray for all those who were wounded during the border protests this week. We pray for strength and for determination for those taking part in the demonstrations, that their efforts may soon bear fruit. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

This week marks the re-launch of the Kumi Now initiative. Active members of the initiativemay find it helpful to plan ahead for future activities, while new members may want tofamiliarise themselves with the calendar of activities in the Launch Manual.

• Lord, we pray for all those called to engage in peaceful activism to bring about change to the oppressive conditions endured by so many living in Palestine.Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Israeli bulldozers demolished the Bedouin village of al- Araqib in the Negev desert insouthern Israel for the 142nd time on Thursday, the 4th of April. The demolitions were carried out in an attempt to force this Bedouin village (with 34 other unrecognised villages)to relocate to government-zoned townships and pave way for the confiscation of their property.

• Protecting God, we pray that the Bedouin people will be left alone to live peaceably in their villages and not harassed and threatened with forcible removal. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Israeli settlers used several bulldozers to destroy fruit trees and to flatten Palestinian landin Burin village. They are planning to use the land for their expansion of the Yitzhar settlement. While on the eastern border of Khan Younis in Gaza, Israelis used four military bulldozers to raid Palestinian agricultural land.

• Lord, we pray for the Palestinian farmers as they see their crops destroyed and their land plundered and yet are powerless to protest. ‘Oh, Lord you hear thedesire of the afflicted, you will strengthen their heart,’ (Psalm 10:17). Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Elaine Zoughbi, the American wife of Sabeel General Assembly Member, and Director of the Wi’am Centre in Bethlehem was refused entry at Tel Aviv airport on April the 3^rd. The refusal was on the grounds of national security. Many internationals married to Palestinians are either refused entry to the country or must visit on tourist visas with the risk that they could be denied entry at any time.

• Lord Jesus, you understood the importance of families and the natural care and concern we have for our loved ones. Even as you were suffering on the cross you placed your heart broken mother under the care of your disciple, John. We pray for an end to the policy of family reunification which brings heart ache and separation to many Palestinians. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Friends of Sabeel North America, (FOSNA), hosted the Palestinian Narrative TrainingDaysonMarch the 30th and 31st, at the University of Houston. These days provided the opportunity for Palestinians living in the diaspora to develop their storytelling skills and to strengthen their community voice.

• Lord we thank you for the opportunity for Palestinians to reconnect with their family histories and to record them for future generations. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Muaddi Craft Distillery in Bethlehem has been awarded a gold medal and ‘Arak of the Year’ at the Berlin International Spirits Competition for their traditionally made Arak. Muaddi Arak is an Arabic spirit drink using indigenous Palestinian ingredients and techniques.

• Lord we thank you for the ingenuity of the large numbers of Palestinian entrepreneurs who, despite occupation and control of resources, are able to produce world class products. Grant them the perseverance and faith to continue in their work despite the challenges they face on a daily basis. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

The Israeli Settler organization, Regavim movement, demanded that the Israeli High Court compel implementation of the commitment to demolish the Palestinian Bedouin village of Khan al-Ahmar. Last week the community of Khan Al Ahmar  inaugurated a new library in a show of defiance and resilience.

• Lord, we continue to pray for the safety of the village and community of Khan Al Ahmar. Continue to bless the courageous people who are resisting the demolition orders of the Israeli occupation.  Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

• 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 prayer.

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

Thursday 28^th March 2019

Two Palestinians were killed by Israeli live gunfire during the ‘Great March of Return’ which took place along the Gaza/Israeli border on Friday. Fifty-five other Palestinians were wounded.

• Lord, we pray for all those who were wounded and for the families of Nidal Shatat and Jehad Monier, as they mourn their loss. We pray for a peaceable end to the blockade of Gaza. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

This week’s Kumi Now initiative focuses on the work of Aid Watch Palestine(AWP). This is an independent Palestinian organization which seeks to stimulate and channel international aid effectively. It has recently helped farmers in Gaza to access aid after 29% of agricultural land in Gaza was destroyed by the 2014 Israeli bombardment.

• Lord, we pray for the work of organizations like AWP, which seek to help those in need and to make good use of precious resources. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

On Friday, the 22nd of March, 8,000 Palestinian and international visitors set off on the seventh annual Free Movement Palestine Marathon in the occupied West Bank city of Bethlehem. The route took the runners from the Church of the Nativity in Manger Square, along the separation wall, through the Aida refugee camp and by al-Khader village.

• Dear Lord, we are thankful that so many Palestinians, andinternationals, were able to participate in the marathon in Bethlehem. We pray that Palestinians will once again have the freedom to move across their lands without being forced to cross checkpoints and walls, or denied access to agricultural land, roads and settlements. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Israeli bulldozers demolished a building which was still under construction at the site of al-Razi School in Shufat refugee camp in occupied East Jerusalem on Tuesday, the 19th of March. The building was planned as a kindergarten and elementary school for 400 pupils from the camp, who now have nowhere else to attend.

• Lord Jesus, you showed such care for children in your life on earth. We pray for the Palestinian children whose lives are confined to refugee camps and who suffer deprivation and abuse from the government which should be caring for them. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

President Trump announced on Thursday, the 21st of March, that the US will declare the occupied Golan Heights to be Israeli territory. For the past fifty years previous US administrations have viewed the Golan Heights as occupied Syrian territory,    

in line with the United Nations Security Council resolutions.

• Lord, we pray that governments and lawmakers throughout the world will raise their voices in protest at this provocative move against international law. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Sabeel has held an educational trip for women in the community to visit Palestinian villages which were depopulated in 1948 including Iqrit and Kufr Bir’am. 

• Lord, we continue to pray for the staff and volunteers of Sabeel. We give thanks for those who are willing to stand up and call for justice, even under the threat of reprisals. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.
• 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 prayer.

Sabeel Wave of Prayer
 21^st of March, 2019

The 51st ‘Great March of Return’ protest was postponed in order to save the lives of protestors, after a flare-up with Israel the night before when rockets were fired from Gaza towards Tel Aviv.
The Hamas government in Gaza raided several homes and arrested dozens of Palestinians who took part in mass protests against the rise in taxes. Hundreds of Palestinians from the besieged Gaza Strip continue to take to streets in demand of better standers of living and economic conditions.

• Lord, we continue to pray for the right to protest peacefully in Gaza without threat from Israeli forces or those of the Hamas government. Grant all sides the wisdom and graciousness to seek a peaceful solution to all hostilities. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

This week the Kumi Now initiative focuses on the work of Al-Haq, which seeks to raise awareness of how the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian Territories affects their access to natural resources. Palestinians living in this area have limited access to fertile land, minerals and quarries and often have to buy water. Palestinian development is obstructed, while illegal Israeli settlements proliferate into their land and prosper at their expense.

• Lord, we pray that Israel stops the theft of Palestinian resources, the resources you have given to our land. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

Thursday, March 21^st, the first day of Spring, is Mother’s Day in Palestine. 

• We praise God for all mothers, especially for Palestinian mothers who live under occupation; they endure more than their fair share of trouble, often without recognition of their consistent efforts for the survival of their families and communities.  We give thanks for all people who nurture one another toward greater understanding, strength, and love of life.  Lord in your mercy…hear our prayers.

A young Australian citizen with extremist views has shot and killed 50 people and wounded 50 others who were worshipping peacefully in two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand.

• Lord, we pray for those who have been wounded in this violent attack and for families grieving for those who have been killed. We pray for an end to all forms of racism including Islamophobia around the world but especially in New Zealand as they come to terms with the aftermath of this outburst of hatred. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

The Palestinian Authority, (PA), will only be paying their civil servants half of their monthly salaries for the month of February. This decision has come about because Israel has chosen to withhold the tax revenues it collects for the PA, which make up the largest part of the PA’s budget.

• Lord, we pray for all those affected by the sudden loss of income. We pray that decision makers in Israel may recognize the impact of their policies on the lives of Palestinians and that they will restore Palestinian funds they have withheld. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

In the first week of March the young Swedish singer and peace activist, Divina Levrini died. She had been a passionate advocate for Palestine and had been a crew member of the Freedom flotilla in 2018.

• Lord, we thank you for the life of Divina and pray for her family and friends as they mourn her loss. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

Sabeel has recently organized two general meetings for different Bible study groups for women In Zababdeh and in Jericho. Sabeel Nazareth have launched a book by Patriarch Michel Sabah.

• Lord, we are thankful that these women have been able to meet and study your word together. We pray that they may be strengthened in their faith. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

At this time of year Christians in Jerusalem and around the world keep a forty-day period of fasting and prayer for Lent leading up to Holy Week.

• Lord Jesus, we remember how you fasted for forty days as you overcame the temptation in the wilderness before your public ministry began. We are so thankful for your faithfulness. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

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